Jacqui's Horizon's Grant

Jacqui is 31 years old, and before becoming a mother, she was in the Air Force.

Jacqui gave up her job to become a mum, and then found herself bringing up her son on her own. She is now studying to be an Accountant, and is currently doing her Accounting Technician course while she works part time as an accounts manager and is mum to Jacob, two.

Jacqui received a grant from the Horizon's Education Programme to be able to get back into education.

“I took a pay cut to leave work and have a baby and then ended up as a single mum,” says Jacqui. “It leaves you in a position where you’re not as free to go to university full time, and you have to take the financial support otherwise it would practically be impossible.”

“I applied to do the course, but I didn’t realise there were so many costs involved,”

"“I’m the one paying the mortgage and the bills, so I had to get up the next step of the career ladder, and this is the only way I’m going to do it. But it was a shock, the cost was so much, so I was just really grateful obviously for the grant from Horizons or I wouldn’t have been able to do the course.”

Jacqui studies one day a week at a local college, and has to juggle working part time with her studies.

“I’m really lucky that I have my family and they help, but it’s a fine balance. Jacob has to come first no matter what; it’s only when he came along that I thought now there’s two of us to look after, which makes you more determined. I’d like to see myself as a qualified accountant. Hopefully I’ll be able to give my son things that at the minute I just couldn’t.”