I left school at 16, going into the Banking and Finance industry, where I worked my way up from a back-office clerk to a Shareholder Relations Manager and subsequently an Ops Manager with responsibility for around 300 staff. I have also run my own business for a short while. I have been at Cardiff Met for about 10 years, initially as an associate tutor and for the last 7 years as a permanent lecturer. I did all of my university studies whilst working full time AND having my two children. I am currently studying for a DBA, and the focus of my research is Student Engagement.