When I was young I didn’t really know what I wanted to do for a long time. I did sport throughout my childhood, and I’m still doing athletics. But, when I finished school in year 11, there wasn’t really a career path to becoming an Olympian. I enrolled for a two year course at art school, but I wasn’t impressed with it – art wasn’t going anywhere for me, and I cut it short to one year. But, as part of my course, I had to cooperate with a group of engineers and had a couple of weeks working with them and learning about their working life, and that set me on the path towards becoming an engineer.’

I settled on a Level 3 advanced engineering course with Oxford City College but stayed for just a month. It felt like there wasn’t much teaching going on. I struggled to get the information I needed from teachers. Sometimes it’s difficult to have teachers that can pass on information effectively to students making learning easier, better and more understandable.

It was my dad who came to me with an advertisement about a new UTC opening in Didcot, specialising in engineering and science. It was a big decision for me to move again, but I applied and was accepted. I continued my engineering course there and have never regretted it for a second – it’s the best way to learn. The whole UTC is set up in a very work-based way; we wore formal dress, worked working hours and learnt how to communicate with employers, focusing on tasks and projects set by them.

It got me ready for where I wanted to go and adjust to working life. I created a good bond with teachers – I came in late in the school year and needed to catch up – so I spent a lot of days staying behind and getting tuition to reach the levels I needed.

I admire the teachers for the way they were able to effectively pass across information in a way that the students could understand. They were so visual, I learnt things I’d struggled with at my previous college in a single session.

UTC Oxfordshire’s industry partners include UK Atomic Energy Authority, Oxford Space Systems, Mini Plant Oxford, Bloodhound SSC and Reaction Engines. They got into contact with Williams F1, which offered students at the UTC three-months of paid work experience. Before I went to the UTC I’d been unsuccessful applying for an apprenticeship at Williams F1 twice and was hesitant about applying again. Richard Hurrell, who was my main engineering teacher, was a real inspiration for me. He took me to one side and said “look, you need to really think hard about this. It’s a very big opportunity for you and could be your ticket in."

With support from my parents and teachers, I applied for work experience with Williams and was accepted. ‘I did three months of work experience there and got my foot into the door, building good relationships. While there wasn’t something for me straight away at the end of my work experience, my head teacher got in touch with Williams, who offered me a four-year apprenticeship.

I can’t stress enough to people how important work experience is. The first two times I applied to Williams I didn’t look much on paper, as I had no engineering background. But doing work experience they got to know me and how I worked, and that opened the door.

My 4 Year Apprenticeship involved rotating around the company working 3 months in each department for 2 years. I have been a Machinist, Inspection, Laminator, Model maker, Fabricator, 3D printing, Prototype and Testing, Hydraulics, Buildshop, Sub Assembly, Race Team and more. On the third year the individual or the company decides which department to stay for the remaining duration of the Apprenticeship. I became a Composites technician for the remainder of the two years where I gain the experience with model making, component manufacture and trimming and fitting. Core skills of this role was Trimming, Fitting, Assembly and Laminating.

Unfortunately, there were flaws within my apprenticeship and unfortunately, they had failed me in helping me to achieve the standards and as a result I have been put in a position where they could not take me on. I was disappointed of course as I didn’t achieve what I wanted and become the type of worker I wanted to be. But like anywhere else every company is learning and growing.

I was in search of a new role and debating whether I wanted to remain in Formula One. I had applied to numerous job roles and one of them was being a composites technician at Alpine F1. I heard good things about Alpine and they were one of the last remaining teams with type of working environment they have in terms of relaxed rules in ways that the company trusts their employees and flexible working. These I believe are important qualities of Alpine and what makes working there more enjoyable. After all we spend more time working than we do spending time with our own families. So, it’s important to have a nice and enjoyable working environment without feeling constant pressure.

After spending 4 years within the Formula One industry, it was difficult for me to walk away from that and decided that I wanted to remain. Therefore, I applied alongside a recommendation from someone I knew within Alpine from Williams. Luckily, when being within Formula One everyone moves around and becomes a very small world when it comes to people you know. A lot of people I knew from Williams had moved to Alpine and therefore I had seen a lot of familiar faces.