Transcript

SUE BLACK

Hello again. Welcome to this, the final week of the course, Returning to STEM. This week, you’ll be revisiting the five main strategies for returning to STEM employment. And you'll get a chance to reflect on these in light of the knowledge that you've gained throughout the course.

This week is all about the next steps. You'll come away with a powerful action plan that will set you on the right course. First of all, you'll look at your vision – where do you want to get to? And then how to create smart and achievable goals and turn these into actions. You'll revisit the options for further training and returnships.

As usual, you will finish this week with a quiz. This time, it'll be a chance to reflect on your learning from the second half of the course. So it will be another longer quiz. Like Week 4, this quiz counts towards the badge for this course.

I went back into education nearly 30 years ago now. I was shy, scared and hoping that I was doing the right thing. But I didn't really know that I was. Since then, I've worked hard and kept moving towards goals that I wanted to achieve.

A degree, a PhD, becoming a full-time academic, and then head of department – I honestly can't believe where I've got to now, and some of the things that I've done. I've had a great career. I've spoken at the UN. I've met the Queen – lectured around Brazil, written a book, led a successful campaign to save Bletchley Park, and set up my own not-for-profit company, #techmums, which teaches tech skills to mums. I've done so many things.

It's not always been easy. Sometimes it's been really difficult and many times I felt like giving up. But I haven't.

I wish I'd known when I was younger that everyone gets tough times. And that the best way to get through them is to realise that you're not alone. There are people everywhere having a tough time too.

The trick is to just keep going. Keeping going, resilience, is what's got me where I am today. The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. Once you get going, keep going. If I can do it, so can you.

Good luck on your journey. If you keep going you will be successful.