I did not go to uni

As 1000’s of scholars throughout the UK open their examination outcomes, many are preparing for the subsequent huge step: college.

But that path is not for everybody – and it would not need to be.

BBC News spoke to 4 former pupils who selected a unique route and nonetheless landed their dream jobs.

From working with animals at Chester Zoo to photographing Harry Styles on tour, their tales present that skipping college doesn’t suggest lacking out on success.

When 29-year-old Lloyd Wakefield was rising up in Stockport, he did not think about his future behind a digicam, and definitely not on tour with one of many largest pop stars on the planet.

“Up until college, my only goal was to be a footballer,” he says.

“I’m not the most academic. I didn’t click with any lessons outside of PE. I’m a hands-on person.”

When soccer did not work out, he took a job at Aldi.

“It took me two years to adjust, to find any kind of direction or purpose outside of football,” he says.

He “caught a bug” for pictures by a good friend’s movie digicam, spending their days off going out and taking pictures collectively.

Teaching himself by YouTube and plenty of trial and error, Lloyd started messaging businesses and chasing alternatives. That led him to a backstage gig at Fashion Week, and ultimately to photographing Harry Styles’ Love On Tour.

“If you told me when I was working in Aldi that I’d be in the music world, on a tour, it was so polar opposite of where I thought I was going to be.”

His work at Love On Tour landed him the title of favorite tour photographer on the 2023 iHeartworkRadio Awards. He has additionally labored with different celebrities and types corresponding to Dua Lipa, EA, UFC and Arsenal FC.

Today, Lloyd runs Lloyd’s Workshop, a artistic neighborhood for younger photographers with out connections or formal coaching.

His recommendation for different younger creatives is to take their time.

“There’s no shame in getting a normal job,” he says.

“Use it to fund your passion. Don’t rush it.”

Looking again, he says selecting to not go to college was the correct name for him.

“I learned way more by just kind of putting myself in those situations on set. The benefits vastly outweigh the negatives.”

Frazer Walsh’s journey to working with lions did not start in a lab or lecture corridor – it began with a job advert he noticed by probability.

“I applied for three different universities but I didn’t want to go – it was just because I felt I had no other option,” he says.

“Then I saw a Chester zookeeping apprenticeship listed and thought: ‘Oh my god, that’s my dream, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.'”

The 21-year-old, from Widnes in Cheshire, was “obsessed” with animals from a younger age, he says, driving his mum “insane” together with his love of David Attenborough.

But he had no concept the way to flip that right into a profession.

“You don’t really hear of many zookeepers, or if you do, you don’t really know how they got into that position in the first place,” he says.

Now a professional keeper, Frazer is flourishing.

“About a year into the apprenticeship, I was finally able to work with the lions by myself. They’re your responsibility then, you’re looking after them, and you take a lot of pride in it.

“That is one thing that I’ll all the time preserve with me.”

Frazer’s advice to school leavers is similar to Lloyd’s.

“Just do not rush it, as a result of it is your life, is not it?” he says.

“A job like that is actually as soon as in a lifetime, so simply go for it.”

For south Londoner Thaliqua Smith, film-making was always the dream, but going to university to get there just didn’t feel right.

“I simply felt like college must be completed,” she says.

“They have been saying the one manner for me to get into [directing and producing] was to go and do additional research. But it simply wasn’t one thing that I used to be significantly occupied with.”

After her dad suggested she look into an apprenticeship, Thaliqua found the Channel 4 production training scheme.

“It simply sounded actually cool,” she says.

“I assumed, ‘Wow, that is nice. I’m working, I’m studying for a 12 months. I’m incomes cash for a 12 months in a discipline that might be wonderful.'”

Thaliqua was one of just 10 people selected for the first year of the scheme. From day one, she says she knew she was in the right place.

Now 25, she’s worked on shows like The Apprentice, Naked Attraction, and Rich Flavours with Big Zuu and AJ Tracey. She’s filmed abroad in Spain and New York and has moved up to the role of assistant producer.

“I did not journey a lot as a child, so to be flown to wonderful locations, staying in lovely lodges, assembly insanely cool folks – it is a dream come true.”

Now she says she’s passionate about spreading the word.

“Apprenticeships are wonderful, [but] I needed to dig by Google to seek out mine. They must be promoted far more.”

Her recommendation is to “not let anybody persuade you you possibly can’t do one thing”.

“It’s OK to not have all of it discovered,” she says.

“Even individuals who act like they have it discovered most likely do not.”

Faye Husband’s school years were far from typical.

Diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as Pots – a condition which causes dizziness – and hypermobility, she struggled with attendance and anxiety.

“I had loads of time without work and it was exhausting managing being off after which coming again to high school and lecturers and buddies not understanding,” the 19-year-old says.

She eventually left mainstream school and was homeschooled before joining a support unit called Strive.

“That actually gave me my GCSEs – I most likely would not have managed them if I wasn’t there,” she says.

After going to college and earning A-levels in criminology and psychology, Faye still wasn’t sure about university. That’s when her parents suggested turning a hobby into a career.

“I’d completed my very own nails for years and my mum and pop stated, ‘Why do not you do a course and do it for different folks?'”

Working from a converted garage at home in Redcar, she now runs her business Phaze Nails which is often booked up to a month in advance.

Being self-employed has given Faye the room to thrive despite her health struggles.

“I’ve met so many good folks and made actually robust friendships from it,” she says.

“That’s often stuff I do not get the chance to do, as a result of I do not exit rather a lot.”

Faye says young people should not put too much pressure on themselves.

“Be type to your self,” she says.

“Don’t rush your self into doing one thing that you just’re not able to do.”