Lesley wanted to improve her career prospects by gaining a degree. Her banking qualifications were credited towards a BA degree.

Lesley left school with good Highers and went to work in a high street bank.

"I was keen to get out and earn money right away, and the bank offered a pretty secure job. I enjoyed dealing with all the different customers too and really settled into the responsibility."

Lesley worked hard at the bank and was keen to get qualifications to help her on her career. She qualified as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Scotland (ACIOBS), but after 10 years at the bank she began to feel a bit restless. "The job had lost its appeal. I felt I needed a change and decided to apply for a move into administration.

"I thought that I'd have better career prospects if I got a degree. The Human Resources people at the bank were really great. They talked me through various options for taking a degree and were really supportive about giving me time away from the bank to attend a part-time programme."

Lesley's ACIOBS was credited with 300 SCQF credits for a part-time Business Administration degree programme so she only had to gain a further 60 credits to gain her BA Degree.

"I gained the Degree after two years part-time study. I was surprised how quickly I got back into the routine of studying, and it was good to get into a completely different environment from the bank and meet new people. There were lots of other people my age or older, so I didn't feel out of it."

And her hard work paid off, Lesley is now in a promoted post in administration at the bank.