Duo do it by degrees
Reporter: KAREN DOHERTY
Date published: 21 July 2011
GRADUATE at last . . . Irene Cullen says that her studies at University Campus Oldham were the best three years of her life
A GRANDMOTHER who was forced to leave school at 16 has graduated from University Campus Oldham.
And Irene Cullen says that studying for a humanities BA were the best three years of her life.
The grandmother-of-two also received two special prizes — she scooped the award for making an outstanding contribution to student life, sponsored by graduation gown hire company William Northam, and the Betty Gartery Award for a humanities student who best personifies the spirit of the subject.
The second prize was named in honour of a mature student who completed a degree in her 70s at UCO’s parent university, Huddersfield.
Irene, who lives in Chadderton with husband Roger, left school at 16 because her family could not afford to support her through the sixth form at grammar school in Middleton.
Instead, she worked as a plan tracer in the design department at Avro as it was developing the cold war Vulcan bomber.
Her career took her to Ferranti, a kitchen design company and GEC Plesseas when the first microchips and PCs were emerging.
She also worked in a temporary design office during the construction of the M60 before retiring eight years ago.
“I’ve always kept busy, said Irene, who regretted not doing a degree.
“I couldn’t believe it. You enjoy doing something as much as I did and they give you prizes for it!”
Taxi driver swaps cab for classroom
Andrew Rudkin
A TAXI driver who swapped his cab for the classroom is on the road to success.
Father of five, Mohammed Akal Miah is celebrating after graduating from a foundation degree in business management at the age of 41.
The part-time cabbie, from Chadderton, who is determined to become involved in banking, paid tribute to his late father, who provided much-needed inspiration to his excellent results.
The University of Huddersfield (Oldham Campus) graduate said: “When I left school here in Oldham, my father was on a low income, so going into further education was not an option, but it is something that I always wanted to do.
“He was the first person to say he was happy with what I was doing when I started my course.
“Sadly my father passed away when I was doing my final assessments and I naturally found things difficult. I was going to leave my course until a later date. Thanks to excellent encouragement from the university, they inspired me to do well and to make my father happy.”
Mohammed, of Attock Close, has been a cabbie for the decade.
He hopes to gain a BA Honours degree in Business Management and Financial Services.
