“I got my results in October 2021. I passed two and failed one. But was happy. I enrolled to complete my last module. It was difficult, especially when Harper would not sleep. But I kept telling myself I could do it.
It was hard to juggle family life, studying and working full-time. I sat my final exam in June, 2023 and found out in July I had passed. I cried. I could not believe it. It is a story to tell Harper when she is older if she feels she cannot do something. If you want something badly enough you will pull out all the stops to achieve it. Nothing worth having comes easy. Take the leap and believe in yourself.”
A Belfast woman, who sat exams on the day she was due to give birth, faced the challenge of repeat examinations to claim a highly regarded accounting qualification as a working young mother.
Catriona McGrattan (30) from the Four Winds area of south Belfast found out she was pregnant midway through her second year of studies for the respected Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) Diploma.
And she asked herself ‘how do I do this?’ as she worked full-time, studied and sat repeat exams as a first-time mum to daughter Harper, who was to eventually accompany her to her graduation.
“I caught up on all my classes at weekends and said to myself ‘I am going to prove I can do this.’ I was really determined and pictured myself at my graduation with my daughter. That was my motivation.”
Enrolment for the next academic year, starting in September, is now open and the programme is available online, and locally at third-level colleges on the island of Ireland.
For more details, see accountingtechniciansireland.ie or email [email protected]
