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| Bath illustrator earns degree at 69 to help cut pay gap | |
| (25 days later) | |
| Stephen Spicer fell in love with illustration as a boy and began working in the underground press in the late-1960s | Stephen Spicer fell in love with illustration as a boy and began working in the underground press in the late-1960s |
| An illustrator from Bath who left school with two O-levels has said he earned his first degree at the age of 69 in a bid to increase his earning potential. | An illustrator from Bath who left school with two O-levels has said he earned his first degree at the age of 69 in a bid to increase his earning potential. |
| Stephen Spicer, now aged 70, fell in love with illustration as a boy and began working in the underground press in the late-1960s, before he was offered a freelance teaching job at Bath College. | Stephen Spicer, now aged 70, fell in love with illustration as a boy and began working in the underground press in the late-1960s, before he was offered a freelance teaching job at Bath College. |
| He said he enrolled at Bath Spa University after realising he could earn more money with a tertiary qualification. | He said he enrolled at Bath Spa University after realising he could earn more money with a tertiary qualification. |
| "People with less experience and more paper earned more than me so I decided to do something about it," he told BBC Radio Bristol. | "People with less experience and more paper earned more than me so I decided to do something about it," he told BBC Radio Bristol. |
| Mr Spicer continues to work as a freelance illustrator | Mr Spicer continues to work as a freelance illustrator |
| Mr Spicer left school with two O-Levels, in art and English. | Mr Spicer left school with two O-Levels, in art and English. |
| In the late-1960s, he worked on publications that did not have official approval, known as the underground press. | In the late-1960s, he worked on publications that did not have official approval, known as the underground press. |
| "I had my own shop with my friends until we got raided by the police and broken up, then I went to Chelsea School of Art," he said. | "I had my own shop with my friends until we got raided by the police and broken up, then I went to Chelsea School of Art," he said. |
| "Later I got offered a teaching job at Bath College and did that as a freelancer for 10 years." | "Later I got offered a teaching job at Bath College and did that as a freelancer for 10 years." |
| After finishing his BA (Hons) in 2024, he said he had aspirations to carry on learning but was hampered by the rules on finance. | After finishing his BA (Hons) in 2024, he said he had aspirations to carry on learning but was hampered by the rules on finance. |
| "The only thing I regret about not doing it earlier is that I can't get any loans from Student Finance," he said. | "The only thing I regret about not doing it earlier is that I can't get any loans from Student Finance," he said. |
| "If I did do a masters, it would just be a vanity thing as I wouldn't actually need it for anything." | "If I did do a masters, it would just be a vanity thing as I wouldn't actually need it for anything." |
| Instagram a 'great tool' | Instagram a 'great tool' |
| Mr Spicer said he enjoyed his university experience despite being older than his peers. | Mr Spicer said he enjoyed his university experience despite being older than his peers. |
| Now with his degree in hand, he continues to work as a freelance illustrator. | Now with his degree in hand, he continues to work as a freelance illustrator. |
| "The internet and Instagram are a great tool to put yourself out there, if I can stop putting silly pictures on my Instagram account," he joked. | "The internet and Instagram are a great tool to put yourself out there, if I can stop putting silly pictures on my Instagram account," he joked. |
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