TWO members of staff at Tavistock College have proved they are top of the class as they have both received first class honours degrees from the Open University. Education welfare officer, Debbie Provan studied a combination of subjects, with a focus on social policy, resulting in a BSc (Hons) Open Degree while examinations officer, Jackie Hamilton-Cates, was awarded a BSc (Hons) in Social Policy. The achievement is even more remarkable considering both women work full-time and each has two children. Debbie said she did the degree, which took six years of part-time studying to complete, mainly for personal satisfaction. She says the one thing she will remember about the course is all the Sundays she spent devoted to study. ?At times everybody must think it?s a hard grind but then you get a boost, say if you get an essay back with good marks, and that motivates you. It?s great that we did it in the end. I?m very, very pleased,? she said. Jackie decided to take on the challenge of a five year degree course when she came to the end of a temporary job contract. ?I thought ?I need to have something more than this.? As a single parent I needed to a have a well-paid job and you need a degree to get that,? she said. Jackie would like to use her qualification to move into a management role and her ambition is to complete an MA.
