At 15, I left high school. Little did I know then that after four decades, I would amass five degrees and several medals, awards and Commendations from the armed forces of the UK, USA, NATO and long service awards from the United Fire Brigades Union. In addition, I was a founding member of the Institute for Leadership (UK). I am a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, a Chartered Human Resources professional, and a Fellow of Governance New Zealand.
I was born into a typical industrial working-class family in the Black Country of England. My father and mother never had the opportunities I had. When I was born, it was just 15 years since the end of WWII. The residual legacy of war and the hardship felt by many in the coal mining town of my birth impacted my values and my outlook on life. In my senior school, two important, life-changing incidents took place. First, I met my wife. We married when I was 19, and it's been 43 long, fulfilling years to the date since our marriage. She is an exceptional primary school and specialist resource teacher. She has been an integral part of my life, travelling the world with me and supporting me throughout my career. The other, one of my high school teachers, told me that I would not do well academically. Indeed, I left school at 15 and started working as a print-room assistant. However, those words were deeply engraved in my mind and this paved the way for my future academic achievements. After a year spent in the print room, I took a leap of faith and joined the UK Armed Forces when I was just 16. That decision changed my life forever. At 20, I became a full corporal and by the time I was 25, I was a sergeant.
I've travelled to some 18 countries, served in the Bosnia crisis, and was even fortunate enough to meet several members of the British Royal Family. Throughout my military career, I have valued time with my wife and family, the values instilled in me by service and due to the nature of my job, I learned to take nothing for granted. The only thing that matters is that you live your life well, honestly, and help, support and respect others. The teacher's words were still ringing in my ears t
hat I would not do well academically and whilst serving, and not being in a position to attend university full or part-time I took on distance/extramural study intending to potentially obtain a Commission. At the age of 36 and enrolled in a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics, Politics and Health Sciences which I completed in 3 years despite being deployed in situations like the Bosnia crisis.
To me, my first degree was an academic test. Could I do better? The military had taught me to take opportunities as they arose, head and give things ago. This is how my academic journey began. After 23 years of military service and completing the BSc and a further Post-Graduate Diploma in Environment and Geography; the latter also obtained through online and distance learning, I moved to New Zealand where I am now working in the not-for-profit sector. My experience and education will help to give back to society even when I no longer work professionally. Because of my values, culture, and military life, I've been an active volunteer in the New Zealand Fire Service, Mountain Safety Council, Justice of the Peace, etc. To date, I have gained a further Bachelor of Arts (Humanities), PG Diploma in Business Administration and a Postgraduate Certificate in Business.
When retiring from full-time paid employment I plan to continue my learning by pursuing a PhD or DBA, funding permitting and also plan to support organisations in a governance or management capacity as a volunteer where the organisation(s) cannot afford to buy in such experience. Not all of us are equipped to change our circumstances. All my academic qualifications have been self-funded. Previously, I had been offered a chance to study at King's College, but that ended up being unaffordable and I had to decline the offer. However, completing the Masters Program in Strategic Management and Leadership with SNATIKA, which is not only affordable and accordingly more accessible, has also led to the opportunity to complete an MBA. I did the due diligence before enrolling, having checked OTHM websites, London Graduate School and relevant UK registration authorities.
Finally, if you need my advice on distance or online education, it is neither easy nor for everyone. But when you are driven by values and have the passion to succeed, you make it work. Due to the nature of my work and family circumstances, all my academic qualifications, except a Diploma in Administrative Management and two adult teaching qualifications, have been achieved through online/distance learning. If you are in such a situation, check out the authenticity of the institution, consider the costs if you are self-funded, and go all in. Seize every opportunity, learn from them, and take nothing for granted. Use your time wisely, for your life journey is finite, grasp the nettle!