Hayley does justice to her legal studies
hAYLeY CoPAGe has made up for her 18 years away from education by going to college and progressing to university.
the 34-year-old completed an Access to Law and Criminology course at Birmingham Metropolitan College ( BMet). She is now at Coventry University studying a LLB qualifying law degree and wants to specialise in employment law.
hayley, of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, says: ‘I left school not knowing what I wanted to do, so this is my chance to pursue a career in something I’ve become passionate about.
‘I’m fascinated by justice and the way that rules and regulations come into every aspect of a person’s life.’
having left school with a handful of qualifications, hayley began studying GCSes in english and maths at BMet in 2015. Passing these courses led to her starting the Access course at BMet, which was designed to introduce her to law and legal studies.
hayley says: ‘the course covered the whole spectrum of the legal sector including tort, which is a civil wrongdoing, plus negligence and offences such as assault and manslaughter.’
the course also gave her opportunities to explore law and legal systems up close, after securing work experience at the Birmingham law firm, freeths LLP. hayley, who has a 16-year- old daughter, says: ‘the college emphasised work experience. I’m glad they did as it helped me see the sector from the outside in.
‘I was given cases and scenarios relating to intellectual property law, contract law and employment law and asked to write reports. the cases inspired me to want to be an employment law solicitor.
‘After my LLB, I’ll spend 18 months doing a legal practical course (LPC) and can then look for work,’ she says. ‘It’s a challenge to be a student, juggle a full-time job and be a mum, but I’m glad I’ve done it. It proves I can manage anything.’
hayley has also discovered that being a student has had a positive influence on her daughter.
‘I’d usually have to push her to get on with her homework, but one day, I went up to her bedroom and found her working away,’ she adds. ‘her grades have gone up and so that’s something else to be proud of.’
the Access to higher education courses available at BMet include business, health and engineering.