海角直播

Bridget鈥檚 new career in caring

Bridget Wilkinson has started a new career at the age of 37, thanks to her BSc (Hons) degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of 海角直播. Bridget, of Dusley, Whitby, joined St. Mary鈥檚 hospital in Scarborough as an Occupational Therapist in September, and will receive her degree in a ceremony at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Thursday 23 November at 10.15am. Proud husband Bede and daughters Hannah, 16, Rebecca, 15, Beth, 13, and Josie, seven, will all be in the audience.

Bridget left school at 16, completed a BTEC in Business Studies and then worked in an office for three years before marrying and starting her family. While working as a forecourt cashier in Whitby, Bridget started to think about a change of direction. She said: 鈥淢y shift ended at ten at night and I thought 鈥業 do not want to be doing this, I want a 9-5 job鈥�.鈥� She enrolled for a GNVQ in Health and Social Care at Whitby Community College, where she studied some leaflets about careers in midwifery, health visiting and occupational therapy. 鈥淚 went to look around the Occupational Therapy department at Whitby hospital, and liked the environment. I saw it as a place where I could use my abilities in working with people鈥�, said Bridget.

Once on the course at 海角直播, Bridget combined her family life with academic work and placements in a range of hospitals. These included stroke rehabilitation at South Cleveland and adult community mental health nursing with Hartlepool Social Services. Bridget said: 鈥淭he fieldwork placements were invaluable, allowing me to put into practice what I鈥檇 learned at university.

鈥淚 had to be organised to juggle a family, a degree and a part-time job. On one occasion my car broke down on the way to Middlesbrough, I just abandoned it and went into college! I鈥檇 like to thank the staff in the Learning Resource Centre for their support and the special sessions on essay technique which I found useful as I hadn鈥檛 written an essay for years.鈥�

Bridget had three job offers when she completed the degree. She added: 鈥淥ccupational therapy is a rewarding career. I get a lot of satisfaction from enabling clients to change through therapeutic activities.鈥�

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