Returning to education after nearly a decade away can feel daunting, but for Lurgan man Declan Heaney it has been life-changing.
Declan’s journey demonstrates that a second chance at education can be the most rewarding of all and a challenge to be embraced head on.
At eighteen years of age, Declan was headed to university to study Law and Politics with a bright future in front of him.
After becoming disillusioned with the course, Declan took up a full-time position lured by the appeal of a paycheck.
However, this wasn’t to last after seeing colleagues with degrees advance in the workplace.
Declan said: “Once I started earning, I felt that working was better than studying as I was earning money. But over time, I recognised the long-term value of having a degree. The Covid pandemic really made me reflect, it showed me that higher education makes you more valuable to an organisation and provides better job security.”
The pandemic was the turning point for Declan. While working full-time at Sam Aerospace (NI) Ltd, Declan enrolled as a part-time student at Southern Regional College (SRC), first completing the Business Studies Higher National Diploma (HND) and subsequently the Business Studies BSc (Hons) Degree top-up.
This all proved to be a juggling act. Attending classes, keeping on top of coursework, helping family, all whilst saving and buying his first house, and planning for his upcoming wedding with fiancée Orla, taking place this coming New Year’s Eve – December 31, 2025.
Declan’s strategy for success involved implementing a strict weekly timetable and planning out studying and coursework to finite detail. Sacrifices were also made. With only 24 hours available in a day, Declan had to forgo his passion for playing football and Gaelic.
Declan added: “I had to be very disciplined, even giving up football over the past two years so I could fully focus on my degree. It was a sacrifice, but one I knew would benefit my future.”
That focus paid off. Declan was named Student of the Year at both his Business Studies BSc (Hons) graduation at the end of August 2025 and his previous Business Studies HND graduation in 2023 at SRC. Declan has also been recognised at the FE Excellence Awards, and in February 2024, he took home the prestigious Vocational Award at the British Education Awards.
On winning the British Education Award, Declan added: “I was completely shocked to be nominated as a finalist, winning the award was both humbling and surreal, especially given the calibre of other finalists.”
At the same time, his studies strengthened his career. Declan has applied theory from modules such as supply chain management directly to his work, contributing to a series of promotions at Sam Aerospace leading to his most recent promotion of Tooling Room Lead last September.
So, what can top these achievements? Graduating for a second time with his top-up degree in Business Studies at SRC marks another milestone, but Declan isn’t finished yet.
Looking ahead, Declan is keen to continue his advancement in the workplace and move into a senior management position. Long term, ambitions include helping other businesses with the skills he has learnt.
He said: “I would love to own my own business, perhaps offering consultancy services in data analytics. I believe data drives decision-making; you can’t argue with facts. I want to be in a position to use data to analyse issues and offer practical solutions to businesses.”
Declan’s advice to others thinking of returning to higher education, “Be open-minded, take each day as it comes, and don’t shy away from extra reading, it really pays off.”
