I grew up at a time when there was only one way to get to university—through school—or it would take you four times as long through technical and further education. Not only that, but at the age of 10 I was doing remedial classes in primary school, mainly because I was unmotivated. Add to that, I grew up in a mining town and most people preferred to do a hands-on apprenticeship and become a tradesperson, as I did. I did metal trades work until I was nearly 30.
My schooling, apart from mathematics, was pretty average. I was suited to a trade. Academics was a thing I’d be motivated to do later in life, and thankfully the system changed.
When I was 30, I was given the opportunity to enter a team leadership development program as an emergency response team leader and safety advisor. That two-year program in the late 1990s gave me the Diploma I needed to get into my first degree, a Bachelor of Science. Because I was already working as a professional in my chosen field I was given advanced standing and got my degree after only five semesters of study.
But hear me, it wasn’t easy. I struggled in learning chemistry initially and thought I’d fail. I did fail one final occupational hygiene exam and had to sit a supplementary. I studied a summer semester and averaged seven-hours a day study—on top of full-time work and family responsibilities. It was a profoundly stressful time, which took its toll. I studied so hard to be honest, it was one reason my first marriage failed. (It actually failed the semester I started studying a master’s in environmental law—so I never completed that.)
I got into university at the age of 32 in 2000 and graduated at age 34. I had nearly a HD average and loved to study. Friday nights I’d study from 7pm until 2am Saturday morning. From hating school to loving the university vibe. Yet, the intensity of university study was absolutely next level.
With my first marriage in tatters and finding that I was called by God into the ministry, I started studying a Master of Divinity in 2005. It was cut short as a Graduate Diploma degree when I felt God saying it was time to move on with family—I married Sarah in 2007. For a time, study went on the backburner and I took many shorter courses, focusing on being the principal safety practitioner at the port authority.
It was at the end of that stint, when I found myself in an unpalatable working relationship with a new manager, that I started a counselling degree. I needed a sea change and studying with a cohort of psychology graduates as a mature-age 40-something was a blast. Funnily enough, by the time I finished that program I’d moved back into church ministry as a pastor but was also now a counsellor.
This was the opportunity I needed to complete the Master of Divinity, which was another three years full-time equivalent if I wanted to be accredited. 32 units at master’s level is equivalent to at least two masters (MBA etc) degrees.
Overall I’ve spent 10 years of my life heavily invested in university study, and had you told me that when I was 30 I’d have told you that you were dreaming.
The point I’m making, especially to those now in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s and beyond, is it’s never too late to start your university studies. In fact, your life experience counts more now than ever!
You might not think you’re smart enough. One thing you learn in university is it’s less about smarts and it’s more about pure hard work and simply the discipline of learning how to research, find information, get efficient, and keeping on moving forward, embracing the challenges, refusing to give up.
You might have been a remedial student like I was. You may have been told you’ll never set the world on fire like I was. You may think of yourself as pretty ordinary.
But you know what? You can still get a degree or three.
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