Lauren Ramoth had a demanding job as a benefit fraud investigator, but she wanted a career change.
Now a degree in Midwifery Studies at the University of Huddersfield has provided just that.
Lauren, of Birstall, has now begun to work full-time at her new profession, having made a big success of her course.
Ultra-high marks en route to obtaining First Class Honours in her BSc have meant she is one of a select group to have been awarded a Chancellor’s Prize during the November 2014 graduation ceremonies.
Chancellor’s Prizes are awarded to the students who earn average marks over 80% in their final two years. Lauren earned the highest mark of all those graduating, achieving 87.1%.
She has scored other successes too. Aged 34 and a mother of two, Lauren was co-founder of a student Midwifery Society that has gone from strength to strength and has been awarded the Society of the Year prize by the Huddersfield University Students’ Union.
Lauren herself was voted Society Personality of the Year and she has also been nominated by the university and shortlisted for Student Midwife of the Year, through the Student Nursing Times Awards 2014.
Midwifery was Lauren’s early career ambition, but proved impractical at a younger age. Instead, she worked for Kirklees Council in benefit fraud investigation.
“It was a really interesting job and I loved the investigative element of it, but it wasn’t really me. Midwifery was something I had aspired to from my late teens but, due to circumstances in life, I was never able to explore it at the time.
“When I commit myself to something I do it 100 per cent and I just wanted to be the best I could be, especially as my family had to sacrifice a lot to enable me to come to university.”
Lauren is relishing the responsibility of her job and added: “Midwifery has always required decision making. Extra pressure comes from the fact is that you are not just responsible for one life, but for two.”
