Business students once again reaped the benefits of a guest lecture from a former student who has set her sights on completing a PhD!
Lynne Brierley (52) from Tillicoultry visited the HND Business students based at Alloa on Monday 13 January to give them some advice and the benefit of her extensive experience and went down a storm.
She began her academic journey at Forth Valley College’s Alloa Campus in 2014. She left behind a 28 year career as a civil servant in the Department of Work and Pensions to enrol on a HNC in Business Management course. This led on to an HND and, in 2018 graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business Studies at Stirling University and in 2019 graduating with a Masters in Research and Business Management
But even more impressive, is that she was supported by the university to enter a studentship competition to obtain funding that would enable her to carry out PhD research for a paper regarding UK Government employability programmes which help the unemployed back into the labour market. She was selected and is now one of only two business students in Scotland to receive funding.
Inspirational Lynne –hopes to make a full career in academia and lecturing after completing her PhD - has been giving FVC Business students the benefit of her experience and showing them just what is possible, if they work hard at college.
She said: “I really enjoy coming back to talk with Forth Valley College students as I get so much out of it and give something back. Everyone’s experience is different, but hopefully I can show them just what can be achieved. The HND is something I completed here at Forth Valley College and provides a really good basis to build on and progress in to higher education.
“The feedback was very positive and I already have some follow ups to do with some of the students who were there, to show them the different sort of assignments I had to do at university in third and fourth year. I would love to come back in the future to give some more guest lectures as I really enjoy it.”
Business lecturer Julie Warnock said: “It was great to have Lynne in to speak with our current HND Business students. We are so proud of everything she has achieved since studying with us here at Forth Valley College and I know for a fact that she is an inspiration to our current HND students. They will benefit from her experience as they head towards achieving their qualification.”