Donna’s Journey: From ‘Superwoman’ to Career Success

For Donna from Newry, juggling a career, studies, and three young children seemed impossible—but she made it work. Her determination and resilience have earned her the nickname ‘Superwoman’ among her colleagues. 

“Many of my colleagues call me Superwoman. How I can be so tuned in at work with three young children and go home to get my degree baffled many,” she says. 

Over seven years of study with The Open University (OU), Donna didn’t just complete her degree; she secured five promotions, quadrupled her salary, and transformed her career. But the journey wasn’t without its challenges. 

“At the start of my Level 3 studies, I gave birth to my son. I remember having a newborn, the whole house had COVID, and I had an assignment due,” she recalls. 

With a baby to care for and her household unwell, Donna faced a choice—postpone her education or push through. The flexibility of OU study meant she could fit learning around her unpredictable schedule. 

“I remember working all night from 11pm – 5am writing that assignment. I even got a decent mark, which was extremely surprising.” 

Despite facing workplace bullying for not having a degree, Donna was determined to prove herself. 

“Every job I applied for kept telling me, ‘No,’ so I knew I had to do something if I wanted to become ‘more,’” she explains. 

Determined to change her future, Donna enrolled at the OU and quickly discovered she was more than capable of excelling in her studies. 

“One of my highlights was handing in my first assignment and realising I wasn’t stupid like I was being told. The feedback I received made me believe I could do this.” 

Her confidence continued to grow, reinforced by milestone achievements along the way. 

“On one of my assignments, I received 100% at Level 2, and I will never forget how that felt.” 

Donna’s studies didn’t just change her perception of herself—they actively shaped her career. She applied real-life examples from her modules directly to her work, leveraging her knowledge to build relationships with senior managers and strategically advance within her company. 

“The books I received up until Level 2 are excellent, and I still use these today. I made quite a few political moves with senior managers by discussing the content of those books. I attribute some of my promotions to these foundation conversations.” 

Balancing study, work, and family life was never easy, but Donna had a strong support system. 

“I scheduled classes in the evening during the week and rushed home to make sure I attended. My husband would often bring me dinner whilst I was in class and would ensure he never worked overtime when I was studying. I never let myself get too far behind that I would struggle to catch up.” 

The payoff was undeniable. By the time she completed her degree, Donna had transformed both her professional and personal life. 

“In the seven years I studied overall, I have quadrupled my annual salary—I didn’t even have my degree completed yet.” 

Beyond financial success, she has developed skills and confidence that make her a formidable presence in her field. 

“I am now able to challenge people in a professional way,” she says. “I instinctively know which strategy I want to deploy that I know will be successful and can articulate it where I didn’t have this before.” 

Donna’s resilience and ambition have earned her the respect of her colleagues, but she’s not stopping there. 

“I want to become a Site Lead in a pharmaceutical company in the next 3–5 years,” she says, with a long-term goal of becoming a Chief Operating Officer in what is traditionally a male-dominated industry.