Oliver North Tweats, 38, from Congleton, graduated this week with a University Professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling from University of Staffordshire.
Having achieved some of the highest grades on the course, Olly was also chosen to deliver a speech to hundreds of guests at his graduation ceremony.
Olly shared how, as a child, he had far reaching dreams: “When I was young, I desperately wanted a clarinet, and my Mum would tell me ‘If I win the lottery, I’ll buy you a clarinet and anything else you wanted’.
“Then later, after my musical dreams had been crushed, I thought I was destined to be a famous actor. Failing that, I thought I’d probably just win the lottery.”
Olly applied to study Architecture at university but instead took up a job at the Manchester Evening News. Then after years of struggling with alcohol dependency, Olly's life reached a turning point when he woke up in hospital.
"A doctor gave me an ultimatum," Olly recalled. "He said, 'Go to an alcohol detox now or risk another seizure that'll probably kill you’. So, I quit my job, I went to the detox, and I moved back to my Mum's."
During his recovery, Olly shared that counselling changed the direction of his life: "I sat opposite a counsellor and looked at the work they were doing, and I thought, 'I could do that.' So, I did."
After enrolling at the University of Staffordshire, Olly admitted that returning to education felt daunting but quickly discovered he had found the right place.
"Walking into university as a 37-year-old was a touch out of my comfort zone, but I couldn't be happier with my choice of Staffordshire and the Counselling course," he said.
"The University's and the staff's genuine commitment to inclusivity, opportunity and ambition has shone through at every stage."
Reflecting on his studies, Olly said: "While some degrees teach you how to look outward at the world, this training forces you to look inward. It demands that you dismantle your own internal architecture, face your shadows and learn how to transform the ruins into a foundation for restoration."
Having graduated with Distinction, Olly is looking forward to a new chapter ahead and is preparing to open his own counselling practice, Oliver North Psychotherapy, to help others.
"It turns out, I did become an architect after all: the architect of myself and of my future,” he added.
"And in a way, I suppose I did win the lottery too. Not a cash prize, but that of an amazing Mum, incredible friends and a second chance at life.
"And getting this qualification… it feels like I finally got my clarinet."
Discover more about studying at University of Staffordshire by booking your place at an Open Day or apply now through Clearing for a September start.