► What did you study At School?  

When I took my options in Year 9, I didn’t really have an idea for a job or career; I just picked the things that I thought I would be good at:, Science Geography and PE. I didn’t take art or languages because I didn’t think I would do very well as I didn’t really enjoy them.  I talked about my ideas with my parents, my head of year and my Connexions Personal Adviser before making my final choices.

 ► What did you do when you left school?  

At the end of Year 11, although I had got all B’s and C’ in my GCSEs, I knew that I didn’t want to go into the 6th form or to college, so I applied for an Apprenticeship in Sport and Leisure. I thought this would suit me as I wanted to work with people and I had liked PE at school.  My connexions Personal Adviser talked to me about the apprenticeship and helped me to prepare for the interview. I spent the summer holidays working on a Community Sports Programme and really enjoyed it.  My second placement was in a leisure centre, I wasn’t really doing any sport and I hadn’t really though about what it would be like to work in leisure centre.  I liked working with the customers but there was a lot of setting up equipment and cleaning which I hadn’t expected.  Eventually I just dropped out.

 ► What next?  

I spoke to my Connexions Adviser about college courses or other apprenticeships, but at that stage I just wanted a job.  She showed me how to put together a CV and search for vacancies.  I had a couple of temporary things and then I got this job which I have done for 5 years.  I had a work trial before I started so my employer could see what sort of worker I would be and I could find out more about the job.  The work is mainly dealing with the stock: pricing, renewing, keeping it in alphabetical order and dealing directly with the customers.  I really enjoy the responsibility of working on my own but it can sometimes be a bit quiet.

 ► What are you doing now?   

I have decided that I am now ready for a different sort of challenge, I did a bit of travelling and liked it and I want to get some more qualifications too.  I have passed my entrance tests and am waiting to join the Royal Navy where I will train as a Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Specialist, this is a scientific job gathering data about the weather and sea conditions.  It’s funny but it takes me right back to my original choices in year 9 of sciences and geography.