Adults/19+

I’m so glad I chose the path I did – studying such a vocational course at Lewisham College was great for my CV, and now I’m doing the job I always wanted to do.

The programme is hard work, but I’m up for it. The teaching here is inspiring, passionate and dedicated. It’s a really friendly environment.

My time at Lewisham College was very important. It gave me the set of skills I needed to develop into the chef I am today. I’d like to say a big thanks to all of my college lecturers.

I’m only three months into my one-year apprenticeship, and have learnt a lot in that time. The more I work, the more comfortable and confident I feel in my role.

Since I have started on the course my maths has improved a lot. On some of my tests I have even scored 100%. My teacher has been very helpful and he does everything he can to help us understand and learn in class. I am very grateful to him for all the help.

If I were to give advice to others considering performing arts, I’d say be yourself, don’t worry about what others think. Being different makes you unique. Work hard and take every opportunity that comes your way and don’t stress out – enjoy your time learning and believe in yourself.

It was not easy to get a job in the engineering industry, so I continued with some short courses and agency work to get more experience. This really helped me to stand out in interviews and enabled me to secure a permanent role.

I’ve learnt that the best thing you can do is get your head down, work hard and put in the hours – it’s worth it.