Gracie's story

Careers support broadened Gracie’s horizons and helped her decide her next steps.

Gracie wasn’t sure what to do after her GCSEs. Her friends were heading to college or sixth form, and she needed to decide what was right for her.

She chose to stay at her school because she had a good relationship with her teachers and could study subjects she liked.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do,” Gracie said. “But I didn’t want to regret not doing anything. I decided to pick subjects that I felt like I'd enjoy, but I still felt quite lost.”

Seeking support

That’s when she heard about Ariane, the school’s careers adviser. Gracie booked an appointment and found it really helpful. “She was so, so lovely. She made me feel so comfortable,” Gracie said.

Ariane asked her about her subjects and could tell which ones she was most interested in. They talked about different career paths and options that Gracie hadn’t considered before.

“She opened my eyes a lot more and helped me realise that it’s not just one option of university after doing your A levels,” Gracie explained.

Ariane showed her the Careers Wales website, where Gracie took the Career Match Quiz, and this suggested she might enjoy working in management. Together, they looked at different jobs and how to get into them.

Discovering a new direction

Gracie went to a few careers events and at one, she found out more about a business management apprenticeship at Airbus. “I spoke to Ariane after the event, and she helped me realise that business is the kind of sector that I’d like to go into,” she said.

“I applied for the apprenticeship but also applied to university as a backup. The interview process was tough. I came out of it thinking I hadn’t got it,” she said. But a month later, she got a phone call saying she’d been accepted. “I was so surprised by it,” Gracie said. “I knew how competitive it was and I didn’t fully believe that I could do it. But I was over the moon!”

Sharing her experience

Gracie now tells her friends how useful it was to speak to a careers adviser. “It is so beneficial to go and talk to somebody that has such a broad knowledge on options after education and so many different pathways and can just guide you.”

Thanks to Ariane’s support, Gracie found a path that felt right for her—and she’s excited about what’s ahead.

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