After studying for my A-levels, I went straight off to study at university. Unable to pick between Business Studies and Home Economics, my fantastic tutors at WGS helped me to find a course somewhere in the middle.
I chose to study Hospitality and Business Management at Sheffield Hallam University. I loved my time at university, especially moving to a big city after growing up in Wisbech. As a part of my degree, my third year was a year in industry. I managed to secure a place on a management programme at the Michelin Star restaurant Hambleton Hall, on the peninsula of Rutland Water. It was a tough year, with long hours and lots of manual work, but very rewarding. One of my highlights was Mrs Sloan and Miss Wildman coming to visit for lunch! That proved to me that WGS’s support continues after you leave school.
I graduated from university with a first class degree in the summer of 2017 and was awarded the prize for the highest overall mark on the course. At this stage, I decided that I wanted to aim for a place on a Corporate Graduate Scheme. I was lucky enough to be one of the thousands of applicants to earn one of the ten places at St. James Place Wealth Management. I was particularly excited to relocate to the Cotswolds, after realising that despite four years in the city, my heart was in the countryside!
I am certain that I would not be where I am today without the personalised support, time and effort I received from everyone at WGS. I am also so grateful for being encouraged to be highly ambitious and dedicated.
My advice for current pupils is to keep your options open. At 18 I thought I had everything planned out, but never in a million years would I have imagined myself ending up in financial services (and neither would my Maths teacher, Mr Woodsmith!).
I am very proud to have studied at WGS, and I’m excited to watch my little cousins follow in my footsteps.