Young trailblazer lands dream job after leaving school with ‘zero’ GCSEs

A Wolverhampton woman who enrolled on a training course and became a customer services apprentice with no GCSE qualifications is urging young people to not give up, and “push yourself to get the job you want.”

As thousands of young people await their GCSE results today, Olivia Mackay (pictured), aged 20 from Penn, Wolverhampton urged other young people not to give up on landing their dream job, even if they don’t get the results they had hoped for.

When she left school at 16, Oliva worked towards a Level 2 Automotive technician qualification and achieved a grade 3 in Maths and English at City of Wolverhampton College, while working part-time.

After being made redundant and lacking hands-on work experience, Olivia was given fresh hope when she was contacted by Wolves at Work through the Youth Trailblazer scheme and offered tailored advice and employment support.

Olivia expressed an interest in an apprenticeship or employment in the automotive sector, so the team found a local business, CC Autocentre, to take her on and she has been working there as a customer service apprentice since December last year.

Olivia said: “I love working at this garage and I’m surrounded by the nicest team. I left school with ‘zero’ GCSEs, but I didn’t give up. I pushed myself, went to college and got my Level 2 qualification while working part-time at a pub.

“When I got made redundant, I really didn’t know what to do. But now, with the support of the trailblazer scheme and Wolves at Work, I have secured an apprenticeship so I can work towards my dream career as an automotive technician.

“I was even given a free bus pass to get to and from work for a month which really helped. The great thing is that the team provide tailored support for each individual person to help them overcome their personal challenges.”

“I’m getting a range of experience by working with customers, booking tyre changes in, calling gas suppliers and helping to keep the garage running smoothly - all while gaining expert knowledge, advice and experience from skilled technicians.

“I’m much more confident and feel like this job can get me anywhere.”

Olivia is one of 1,500 young people supported through the Youth Trailblazer scheme, which supports 18–21-year-olds into employment, education or training.

It is one of several support schemes West Midlands mayor Richard Parker set up across the region to tackle youth unemployment.

The mayor said: “Olivia’s story is proof that with the drive to succeed and the right support, you can achieve your dreams.

“I’m committed to making it easier for people to learn in a way that works for them, so they can still get the job they want no matter how they might do in their exams. 

“Now more than ever, my priority is to make sure young people have options and alternatives available for them to shape a rewarding career. 

“So, good luck to everyone across the region collecting their results – and remember there are many paths you can take to success.”

The WMCA offers a wide range of employment and skills programmes for those young people whose exam results are not what they had hoped for or who are simply looking for a different route to a rewarding career.

A post exam guide offering useful information and advice for young people thinking about what to do next is available to download from the WMCA website: What can I do with my exam results?

The WMCA Careers Hub has partnered with Learn Live to offer a free broadcast event on Friday 21 August at 10am called ‘Personal Branding After Results Day: Using LinkedIn to Build Your Future – packed with practical, step-by-step guidance to help students’.

This engaging and practical session helps students take their next steps with confidence, whether they are progressing to university, starting an apprenticeship, taking a gap year, entering employment, or exploring other opportunities after GCSEs or A Levels.

The session is open to those aged 16+, school/education providers wanting to help their students navigate their options following results day and a parent/carer wanting to learn about the options.

Visit the website for more information and to sign up. The broadcast will be available to watch after signing up.