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“Nothing beats experience, and being able to soak that up in state-of-the-art surroundings is a priceless gift."
By: Emma Wigmore
Last updated: Saturday, 29 June 2024
Ben Foard
With no family to support him and no savings, Ben Foard thought that he would never experience going to university. His life changed when he was accepted onto a Foundation Year at Sussex. Now a second-year Computer Science degree student, Ben is also this year’s recipient of the Paxton Scholarship. This is his story.
“I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. The religion discourages higher education, so I left school after sitting my GCSEs. I worked my way up and became the equivalent to a Bishop (one of the youngest ever), overseeing a congregation of over 100 people. I was devoutly religious and felt that was the best way to do good. Alongside pastoral work in the local congregation, I volunteered in the film department at the Jehovah’s Witness Central European Branch in Germany.”
However, after a personal experience shook his faith, Ben left Germany and moved back to the UK where he set his sights on going to university.
“I’d missed out on higher education, so I felt driven to fill that gap. Because I didn’t have A levels under my belt, I looked for universities that offered Foundation Years in Computer Science and Sussex quickly rose to be my favourite option.
“I was inspired by my grandfather to study the subject because he worked for IBM. Computers fascinated me; thanks to my grandfather I had my own personal computer at home, which back in 1999 was quite unusual. I loved playing video games on it, but the operating system caused it to constantly crash. Because my grandfather was often out at work, I found myself having to fix the computer myself so that I didn’t have to wait for him to return home and do it. This meant I became well-versed in IT and computing when I was young.”
Ben became aware of the Paxton Scholarship after attending an open day at the company’s Brighton headquarters. He explains:
“The facilities at Paxton were really modern and reminded me of Google’s or Apple’s offices. My experience at the open day inspired me to apply for the Scholarship - I didn’t fancy my chances of getting it, but I gave it a go anyway.”
Brighton-based Paxton Access Ltd is a global firm that manufactures security solutions for a range of sectors, including education, healthcare, retail, leisure, commercial, and public. Internationally, around 30,000 buildings each year are secured with Paxton products and clients include Manchester United, graze, Michelin, Sky Deutschland and Foyles.
The company established the Paxton Scholarship as a means of supporting local talent, aiming to provide students with a work placement and hands-on experience that reinforces their studies, as well as to prepare graduates for a career in engineering. They also offer a generous bursary that helps students through their final year at Sussex.
Ben had to navigate a rigorous application process and practical exercise before being awarded the Scholarship. He recounts:
“I was extremely unwell on the day of the assessment. I turned up wearing a mask and felt like I might pass out at any minute. The format of the assessment required us to work in groups, but I really struggled and could barely keep my eyes open! Somehow, I won the Scholarship anyway. I was given feedback after the day and apparently my personality and curiosity shone through, which meant that the assessors could anticipate how I would be when at my best, and they took my sickness into account. I think they were impressed I managed to get there given how poorly I was!
“I was still unwell when I found out that I’d got the Scholarship, so my memory of the day is all a bit blurry. Since then I’ve been really excited about it. The main thing that I’m looking forward to about the placement is getting on-the-job experience and working with professionals. Nothing beats experience, and being able to soak that up in state-of-the-art surroundings is a priceless gift.”
“The Paxton Scholarship aims to support and empower students' careers, with many now working with us in permanent roles. The enthusiasm and commitment we see from students eager to gain real-world experience is truly inspiring, and we are dedicated to providing them with the support they need to succeed. Leading this program, I have seen first-hand the immense effort and care our teams invest to offer a genuine glimpse into the working world, and to prepare students for the next step in their careers.”
Lilly Colville
Internal Recruitment Advisor, Paxton Access Ltd
Ben is thankful for all the support and many incredible opportunities that have already come his way. He explains:
“Because of my unique background, I don’t have a family to turn to for financial help and I don’t have any savings, so finding the money to go to university was a big concern for me. Thankfully, I’ve been helped by a number of organisations since then, and having Paxton join that list is amazing. I’ll keep most of the Scholarship money in the bank ready for when I graduate; it will be a financial buffer to see me through until I find a job.”
So, what will life beyond Sussex look like for Ben? He says:
“Recently I’ve become fascinated with Artificial Intelligence safety, so I’ve started looking into working for the Civil Service or in policymaking in that area. AI is growing rapidly and being able to help governments legislate around it seems like a unique opportunity to do an enormous amount of good.”