A mum has swapped a 20-year retail career for a career in science after her son’s diagnosis prompted her to return to education.
Leigh Bennett, from Cumbernauld, spent two decades managing shops before embarking on a new career path in genetic science after her son Max was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
The 46-year-old enrolled in the SWAP Access to Chemical and Biological Science course at Glasgow Kelvin College in 2015, after Max’s diagnosis inspired her to learn more about his condition.
The course, part of the Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP), gave Leigh a pathway to university, where she graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2020 with a degree in biological science.
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Leigh said: “I was 35 when I joined Glasgow Kelvin College.
“I had always wanted to go to university, and the access course was my way in.
“When I got in, I thought, right, this is it, I’m doing this.
“That decision changed everything for me.
“I went from standing on shop floors, doing long shifts and late nights, to being in classrooms learning about something that really mattered to me.
“It was hard work, but I felt like I was moving towards something that would make a difference in my life and in my son’s life.”
Balancing study with family life was tough, but Leigh has described her time at Glasgow Kelvin College as transformative.
She said: “Make no mistake, that course changed my life.
“It gave me a chance to move into a skilled sector and finally do something I had been dreaming about for almost 20 years.”
After finishing her degree, Leigh joined Merck Group in Glasgow as an associate scientist 1.
Over three years, she progressed through several internal promotions and now works as a scientist 1 in the company’s genetic stability team.
She said: “Ten years ago, I was running shops.
“Now I am in a role where, when I speak, I feel listened to.
“I have been trusted to lead projects, give opinions in meetings and make decisions that really matter.
“Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I am in a place I never thought I would reach.”
Leigh hopes her journey will inspire others to take the leap into further education, regardless of age.
She said: “Opportunity is something you have got to go and grab.
“It does not land on your lap, you have got to go and get it.
“If you are older and thinking about it, do not let the years you have spent in another career put you off.
“Just go for it.
“Knuckle down for that short time, even when it feels tough, and it can open doors you never imagined.
“And if you are younger and not sure what you want to do yet, pick something you enjoy.
“That passion is what keeps you going when it gets hard.
“You just have to see the bigger picture and keep moving forward.”
Leigh is sharing her story to mark National Opportunity Day, an initiative by Glasgow Kelvin College designed to highlight the doors that college can unlock.
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Leigh is sharing her story as part of the third National Opportunity Day (Image: Supplied) Taking place on August 6, it aims to show how clearing and access routes can be the start of something bigger.
Glasgow Kelvin College will host an open day on August 14.
To find out more about the event, visit the college’s website.