Now in its sixth year and coinciding with Scottish exam results day, #NoWrongPath is a social media movement, showcasing the various ways that someone can reach their career goals and get to where they want. Its purpose is to highlight the many paths that can be taken in the professional world.
It’s an idea that really resonates with me personally, as I didn’t take the ‘typical’ route to where I am, and I think it’s a terrific way to make clear to those currently sitting exams at school that the range of paths they can take to success is diverse, and that they can achieve, regardless of their results in August.
Although I stayed at school until I was 18 years old, I had no idea what on Earth I was going to be doing with myself at the end of Summer. I enjoyed subjects like English, History, and Modern Studies – but what I could do with any of these interests, I didn’t have a clue! I had countless meetings with the Careers Advisor and tried a couple of work experiences to give me an idea of what was out there; nothing that came up interested me at all.
#NoWrongPath was yet to exist when my time at school was nearing an end and apprenticeships weren’t as commonly advertised, but I was fortunate enough to find out about a Fife College course that I could apply to at a job fair.
After spending the previous six years of high school not knowing what I wanted to do once I left, I had a bit of a ‘eureka!’ moment when I read through a prospectus and found that they were running a course in journalism.
“That sounds interesting, and I can definitely do that!”, I thought to myself as I read through the course description. Fast forward two years to the completion of my HND in Practical Journalism, and I was once again thinking: “What next?”.
Having spent a good deal of my course preparing for the world of multi-media journalism – filming and editing footage, writing and proofing articles, and conducting interviews – I found myself not totally convinced that this industry was the best application of my skills, so I decided against taking my studies further to university.
A few months after graduating college, I was again scrambling to find a long-term plan. Then – out of the blue – I was contacted by Fife College, offering me an internship within their Communications team. The following 12 months spent working for the College was an eye-opener to the type of work that I could apply my two years’ journalistic experience to, outwith journalism.
Following the completion of my internship, I became laser-focused on finding a similar role. I was unsure as to when I’d get another opportunity at a communications or marketing position given my lack of a degree and experience in the industry, but I knew it was for me.
This is where I found Crunchy Carrots, where I have recently joined as a Creative and Digital Media Modern Apprentice. I can’t wait to immerse myself and contribute effectively in a role that is 100% right for me after feeling completely lost for the past few years. So please do remember: It’s not how you travel that matters, it’s where you’re going.
