EXPERIMENTAL GAIN

FOR many years Emilie Smith put her dreams aside, working hard to pay the bills and be present as a mum. It wasn't until her son, Jack, completed his degree that Emilie, 47, from Bristol, decided it was her turn to shine, embarking on an Open University chemistry degree to unlock the science career she'd always dreamed of.

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What are you working as now?

I am a scientist in quality assurance at eXmoor pharma concepts, a cell and gene therapy company. I am part of a team responsible for auditing and checking that products are being produced to standard.

I am still studying and will finish my final project at the end of August, and receive my final degree classification in November this year.

What led you to the OU?

I had plenty of work experience under my belt but not completing a degree when I was younger played on my mind.

I had started a BSc in Bio-medical Science/ Biotechnology in 1997 but quit to move elsewhere. I got pregnant with my son, which meant I did not have the ability to continue my studies as a working mum.

I had several different jobs over the years, from customer experience to training delivery and even being self-employed, but not sticking with university the first time around still sat with me. I always felt something was missing.