Ten years ago the author began a research project examining the life experiences of people who were the first in their family to go into higher education and who later began careers in the sector. Life histories provide unique insights into people's perceptions of their experience and reflect how British society has changed over recent decades. While each account is unique, taken together they reveal detail of some of the changes that have taken place in society in recent decades: how the role and perceptions of women have altered in society, how lifestyles and attitudes have changed and how employment and the world of work has shifted along with the growth and development of higher education across the UK.