After A-Levels, I went to university, but I discovered it wasn’t the right learning environment for me. I’m an active learner and I needed a course where I could put the theoretical learning straight into practice so, after some research, I decided to switch onto an apprenticeship pathway.

I’ve chosen a two-year apprenticeship in Project Management. I will spend six months in the Project Management Office, six months in Business Analysis and 12 months as a Change Manager. Before I finish the apprenticeship, I’ll sit an exam with the Association for Project Management and complete an end-point assessment.

Joining a large company surrounded by experienced professionals can feel quite intimidating at first, but I can’t praise Paragon and their employees enough for the support they’ve given me. As soon as I met my team on the first week, I realised that everyone here wants to see the apprentices succeed.

The advice I’d give to school leavers who are unsure of which path to take is to gain as much work experience as possible to help you to decide where your interests lie and whether you would like an office-based job. Once you’ve decided this, even if you’re set on university, look into all the options available to school leavers … an apprenticeship might actually suit you better!