A Wirral-based man, who found his time at school really tough, has been
speaking to the Daily Mirror about how signing up for an apprenticeship has
given him a second chance.
Steve Charlton, who is now 19, said he did badly in his GCSE exams:
"Sitting at a desk all day was misery itself and I found everything
boring."
He explains how he “escaped” as soon as he could at 16, and found the job
market an impossible place with no skills or qualifications to back him up
when applying for work.
He thought he might like to work in a zoo, so signed up for an ‘animal
management’ course. However, the classroom environment was still not for
him and he soon dropped out.
Steve explained how he saw an advert for an apprentice in his local family
restaurant and jumped at the chance. “I explained my background and they
liked me. Before I knew it I was an official apprentice. I put on my chef's
whites and there I was in the kitchen learning the basics,” he said.
The restaurant owner was a former apprentice himself, which showed Steve
that once you equip yourself with the right skill, nothing can stop you. He
has already gained his Level 1 and Level 2 NVQ qualifications and is now
working towards his Level 3.
Steve would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who struggles with the
traditional classroom setting. He said, "I'd advise anyone who hates school
to get themselves an apprenticeship. Lots of my friends have too and
they're great. You get to earn money while you learn and get proper
qualifications without being stuck in the classroom."
Because all our courses lead to nationally recognised qualifications, you
too can get qualified with learndirect.
