far in a few short years.

The 32-year-old Trinidadian decided to get herself the option of a new career as well as a financial safety net after marrying her Bermudian husband and moving to the Island.

While working full-time at the Watlington Waterworks as the assistant to the general manager she has spent every spare moment studying for insurance qualifications.

And now she has come top of the class in the Bermuda Insurance Institute Education Awards, taking three out of four best student prizes for the year.

"I had no idea I had won so many prizes,'' said Mrs. Barrow, who originally hails from Diego Martin in Trinidad. "I was off the Island on the day of the ceremony, and have only just got back. I feel very pleased to have done so well.'' Mrs. Barrow beat off full-time insurance professionals to scoop the Heddington Prize for best student in commercial insurance, the Bermuda Underwriters Association Prize for best student in underwriting and insurance litigation and the Ernst and Young Prize for best student in risk management and accounts.

Mrs. Barrow had no company to sponsor her way through and paid out in excess of $200 for each of her four courses. After she finished work, she would go home and open her books. At the weekend she would spend hours pouring over her class work.

Many of the courses offered took place during the day, when Mrs. Barrow could not get the time off work. Not to be defeated, she ordered more books and did the course work herself at night.

"It is doable if you enjoy it, and I did enjoy it,'' said Mrs. Barrow who now lives in Hamilton Parish with her husband. "But you have to be dedicated and willing to put in the time.'' While Mrs. Barrow is the talk of the insurance industry for her excellent results, she is not sure what her next step will be.

"I feel incredibly lucky to have the option of deciding what to do. I enjoy the job I am presently in a great deal, and I am not considering leaving at the moment. But the financial rewards of working in the insurance industry are not to be ignored, and if I moved I would earn significantly more than I do now. "But I am not going to make a decision right now, and I will wait several months. The fates have a way of helping you decide what to do.'' Mrs. Barrow's first degree was in Biology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, and took a Master's in Food Technology. She can now add the Bermuda Insurance Diploma to the growing list.

"The exams are actually quite difficult, you really have to know your stuff.

There are a few short answers, but in general they are in essays, and there can be no bluffs.'' Mrs. Barrow has not yet decided if she will go on to take more of the insurance industry exams while she is in her current post.