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Jason Kennedy - BA (Hons) Performance Writing

I was attracted to the fact that university would take me on potential

My family are working class, my father being an orphan and disabled, he completed an engineering apprenticeship and is today still an engineer. His primary wish was that I not spend my working life in factories. I attended a state school I would describe as having low expectations - it was in an industrial town in the Midlands. I did not enjoy school or achieve much academically, 8 GCSE's, mostly C grade, gave up on my attempt at A levels. My creativity was never fostered at school. I have gone on to have plays performed, contribute to books, and have fiction published, regardless of this lack of help at secondary level.

Combined with my commitment to do things my own way, my Higher Education was an important part in giving me the confidence to live as I do today, with a high level of self-determination and satisfactory income and from a location of my own choosing. Today I work as a Web Developer within the information technology sector. My first job after graduating was as a Web Designer.

I am the first generation in my family to study a Higher Education course. Because I was a mature student I didn't take any Further Education courses – my pre-university experience was a mixture of being on the dole and being in low-paid work. I wrote a sample essay and sent it to the admissions departments of my chosen institutions.

I went into Higher Education because it was that or try to get work in bowling alleys or warehouses. I was attracted to the fact that university would take me on potential rather than whether I owned a pair of work boots. I started at 25 years of age and I graduated in 2000. The best thing about university was leaving with the prospect of a career. The worst was the financial struggle.

I chose my degree subject at Dartington College because I wanted to do a writing course and be around other artists, so I researched from UCAS and ADAR the available writing BA programmes and applied to those I was interested in.

I carried out paid work while studying with difficulty. I worked each year of my studies. I worked full time for my second and third year of my degree at a dairy. I gave up socialising and divided my time between academic work and employment

My advice to others who are thinking about going to university is to research your course. I didn't attend an open day or interview, but I made sure I had chosen a programme that would harness my potential. Try and talk to a course tutor rather than dealing with the admissions people.

My financial advice to others is that if you don't have a family to help (I had no support) then be prepared to work. Take out all the loans available but resist the urge to have credit cards. Credit card debt will cause much more hassle after graduating than repaying student loans.

At the moment I'm working as a Web Developer, Multimedia Developer and Writer. Today, I am more interested in being an author than maintaining my business into the future. At the moment, the two overlap, with business taking precedence. I live and work in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

The best thing about my job is that I can work from anywhere with an Internet connection. The worst is staring at a computer screen for long periods.

Advice for somebody wanting to get into my line of work? My job requires design skills, programming skills AND the ability to conduct business, secure new clients and maintain professional relationships across time zones.
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