Story: Fran Belbin
Farana Akhtar graduated from Sheffield Hallam University last year after studying for four years part-time for a BSc in Biomedical Science.
Farana is 28 and was a pupil at Earl Marshall School before taking a GNVQ in Science at Castle College. After college she started work as a lab assistant at the NHS Blood and Transplant Service in Longley and took her degree while working.
“I enjoyed the course – it was hard work because I was working full-time as well but it was a good experience. I had a lot of support from the lecturers who understood the pressures and worked around me.”
After the course Farana also completed a professional portfolio to get her registration with the Health Professions Council, which means she is now a qualified biomedical scientist.
For now, however, Farana is facing a new challenge as she had her first baby, a boy, in December! She plans to return to work full-time at the NHS in the future.
“I strongly recommend that people from the area should get into studying – it is hard work, but worth it in the end!”