The journey from pathway to dream job

Hayley’s journey to success began with the Exploring the Past Pathway which led to a BA, MA and PhD. She has now landed her dream job working in the heritage sector.

Hayley Bassett was a busy working mum and full-time carer living in Port Talbot in 2010 when she first heard about the pathway to a degree in history, archaeology and religion.

Returning to the classroom aged 40 was daunting at first but Hayley received the encouragement and support she needed to successfully progress onto a part-time BA in Ancient and Medieval History. She graduated in 2016.

Hayley’s confidence grew in the subject that she loved and she started to imagine herself working in history and heritage, spurring her to continue to postgraduate studies.

Hayley completed her MA in Medieval British Studies in 2019 and started her PhD in 2020.

During her studies, the opportunity to become co-ordinator of the SHARE with schools outreach project arose and Hayley was perfect for the role.

The project is a collaboration between Cardiff School of History, Archaeology and Religion, and local teachers and educators.

It aims to develop and deliver toolkits and workshops that showcase the exciting and diverse range of research and study into the past from prehistoric times to contemporary societies.

Hayley’s career has continued to thrive. She recently started working for National Trust Cymru and commented:

“The pathway gave me an opportunity that I thought had passed me by, as going to university after my A levels was not an option for me. The skills I learnt on the pathway served me well, not just in my future studies, but in everyday life. It began a passion for research and analysis that continues into my new job with the National Trust in Wales. My role as Regional Project Support Coordinator oversees all of the projects being undertaken by National Trust Cymru. It is a new role in Wales but has established counterparts in other regions in England. It is a very exciting opportunity!”

Dr Paul Webster, Coordinator of the Exploring the Past Pathway commented:

“Hayley’s story is an inspirational one, and it has been wonderful to watch her skills and confidence grow as she has pursued her enthusiasm for history across the pathway, BA and postgraduate programmes. It really shows what you can achieve after taking that first step back into education. Congratulations Hayley, and we’ll look forward to hearing about your future successes!”

Lifelong Learning at Cardiff University currently provides 14 subjects (but the list is growing!) as part of our pathways to a degree programme.

Interested to learn more about the Pathways to a Degree?