Susan Archibald
I moved to Fife in 1995, but grew up in Falkirk where I really enjoyed school. I loved the chocolate custard and caramel shortcake we got at Primary School and at Secondary School I was a very energetic and active child. I was a member of the running and swimming teams and took part in gymnastics. After school I worked for a few years and when I had my first child at 18 I stopped work to raise my family.
In 1999 I had an operation and following the surgery there were complications that left me disabled. At the time I was working as a road sweeper for the local authority, but after the operation I couldn’t walk and realised I would have to retrain. In 2000 I went to the Fife Women’s Technology Centre (FWTC) to do an NC in Computing and in 2002 I started an HNC in Network Support. During this time I was dismissed on grounds of capability from my job, despite having applied for 100 alternative posts. I went to the National Library in Edinburgh to teach myself the law to pursue a discrimination case. In 2003 I did a Cisco Network Academy Programme at the FWTC. In 2004 after a long legal battle I ended up taking my case to the House of Lords and won!
Learning at this time helped me in so many ways. I really believe that no matter what hand you’re dealt and how many blows you’re given you just get back up and move forward in whatever you’re doing. In 2005 I was accepted into 2nd year at the University of Dundee to do Community Education. I’ve been working at Kelty Community Centre as a supervisor for six years, but now I want the bit of paper that proves my competence. Going to the FWTC was a positive experience socially as well as the more formal stuff – it gave me the extra confidence I needed at a difficult time. Working towards my degree has been difficult but a very rewarding process as for a long time I never thought I was capable, but I have proved myself wrong, and recommend everyone to try.
Go for it, don’t put I off, do it now!
I’m now an international speaker on discrimination and have also been booked to give inspirational and motivational talks. If I can do it, everyone can, you can.