Thursday 30 07 2020
A University of the West of Scotland (UWS) student has overcome the odds to graduate with distinction – despite contending with the outbreak of a global pandemic and a motorcycle accident in his last weeks of study.
Bob Stewart, who has recently completed the University’s BEng in Engineering Management, was driving home from his work as an NHS assistant maintenance manager in April when a passing car knocked him off his motorbike.
He fractured his pelvis, broke his collarbone and was left in the middle of the road – with a full-time job, an end-of-year exam and three assignments weighing heavily on his mind.
Bob, from Carluke, said: “It was hard at the time. Through my role with the NHS, I’d actually been setting up wards for COVID and COVID assessment centres, so I was well aware of what was going on in the Health Service. Work had been pretty hectic anyway, and then I ended up off work for seven weeks.”
Distinction
During his recovery, Bob – who studied the BEng part-time alongside full-time work and raising a family – was granted extra time to complete his studies through the University’s extenuating circumstances process. Despite operating with one arm in a sling, he still managed to complete his university work – and was awarded a distinction.
Bob’s success ties in with National Graduates Day on 30 July. The campaign, organised by Universities UK, celebrates the successes of the Class of 2020, who have overcome more than most to get their hard-earned degrees.
Career prospects
For Bob, enrolling on the Engineering Management course in 2017 offered up the opportunity to enhance his career prospects.
He said: “In order to get a promotion at work, I had to get a degree. So I went to my employer and said, there’s this part-time degree, it’s a local uni, it’s engineering-based, is there any chance I can go do it? So my work funded it for myself and my colleague to go through it.”
Now at the end of his course, he’s beginning to apply for maintenance manager posts and take his career to the next level.
“Through my degree, I got lots of good insight into manufacturing engineering, and a lot of that can come across to my role as a maintenance manager,” he explained. “I also got a Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification during my time at the University, which is a management qualification – that’s really good. That’s an extra qualification to add to my CV."
“My degree is another string to my bow that I would never have had the chance to do without the support of my employer. The fact that the course at UWS is offered on a part-time basis was great - it meant I could keep working and get my degree at the same time.”Bob Stewart
Find out more about part-time study options at UWS.