One of these apprentices is Josh Davis, who is living with Autism and didn’t excel at school but hasn’t let that get in the way of him shaping a career.
After meeting him at South & City College, GMI construction group were struck by his enthusiasm and drive to increase his independence and offered him a supported internship*.
As a result of his improved communication skills in a work-based and supportive environment, Josh is now working towards a full-time level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship.
Josh, aged 22 from Northfield said, “For anyone getting their results this year, I would say do not worry – there are lots of options available for you and I strongly recommend that you find out more about internships or apprenticeships.
“Being offered a Business Administration apprenticeship by GMI construction was definitely the right pathway for me and has been life-changing.”
Alicia Fernandes didn’t get the GCSE grades she expected and knew that sixth form wasn’t for her. Keen to study in a way that offered hands-on practical experience, she decided to look for an apprenticeship, eventually securing a Business Administration apprenticeship with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
Alicia, aged 19 from Kingstanding, said, “I remember not getting the GCSE grades I wanted, and I was really panicking. Sixth form wasn’t really for me so when I started looking into apprenticeships, I found a range that I was interested in. I applied and secured a role with TfWM and I’m now following a career that I love.”
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has invested £7.5m over three years into a Path 2 Apprenticeships programme which helps young people decide whether an apprenticeship is the right route for them to gain employment. The programme also provides businesses with a valuable opportunity to recruit new talent.
Mohammed Khan is currently working towards completing an apprenticeship in brick laying based at Glasswater Locks in central Birmingham. He said: “As I expected, I didn’t get the grades that I wanted at GCSE and left school unemployed.
“Through the job centre I found out about the Path 2 Apprenticeship programme with The Skills Centre. It gave me the skills and knowledge I needed in a practical environment - where I was learning but it didn’t feel like being at school.
“The Path 2 Apprenticeships Programme gave me the skills I needed to secure an apprenticeship in bricklaying.”
There are a range of opportunities available for young people no matter how they do in their exams.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: "Good luck to everyone collecting results tomorrow. Whatever your results, there are so many different paths to success, such as apprenticeships, internships and bootcamps providing hands-on experience.
“My career path wasn’t straightforward, and it may be that yours isn’t either – I studied later in life and really benefitted from taking a different route to many of my friends.”
“It’s why I want to create as many opportunities as possible for young people in the West Midlands, so there are different routes to success available. It’s also why I launched my Youth Plan which aims to tackle youth unemployment – working with businesses to create 20,000 new opportunities in work experience, apprenticeships and training in the region.”
WMCA has developed a post exam guide full of useful information and advice for young people thinking about what to do next - available to download from the WMCA website: What can I do with my exam results? (wmca.org.uk)
WMCA is offering: What Next? Careers & Employment Fairs to inspire and inform young people and adults of career pathways, local opportunities for training and jobs and to provide insight on health and community support services.
The events will be open to attendees between 10.30am and 4pm at the following locations and booking information is available at the links below:
Harry Scolding, aged 22, from Solihull runs his own business - HDS Joinery:
A childhood passion for building things meant Harry always knew that he wanted to be a joiner. He decided early to go down the vocational route to progress his career and actively pursued an apprenticeship by securing his place in year 10. He completed first Level 2 and then Level 3 in Architectural Bench Joinery Apprenticeship at Solihull College & University Centre giving him the skills and experience he needed to set up his own company.
Harry said: “On results day, I was a little bit apprehensive, but I was reassured that I had already secured an apprenticeship. I always knew I wanted to make things and joinery came naturally to me. So, when I collected my results I went straight to work. I would say that getting your results is not the end – it is very much the beginning – so don’t worry.”
Harry has been selected to represent Team UK at WorldSkills Lyon 2024 (also known as the ‘Skills Olympics’) due to his exceptional skills and excelling at last year’s Euroskills competition, finishing in the top 5 in his category.
Chris Jobson, aged 21, from Acocks Green works for Pathway Group:
Chris left school with only a pass in English and Media at GCSE and tried to find a health and social care course at college but was not eligible to apply with his grades.
He started a Level 2 IT qualification at Solihull College which ignited a passion for the IT sector. However, wanting to get real life experience in the field, he found the course wasn’t challenging him. This led to him joining a local company doing a level 2 apprenticeship after which he joined Pathway Group as IT Assistant. He is currently working towards a level 3 after securing a permanent position as an IT Technician.
