An apprenticeship was my first choice...

For the last seven years, the Market Research Society (MRS) has been working on providing an apprenticeship aimed explicitly at the market research industry, and the day has finally arrived?????! This is a HUGE achievement and marks the change that the industry has needed for a long time.

Growing up, my father was very adamant that all four of his daughters would go to university. He believed the only way to succeed was to study hard for a degree. He encouraged us to be bold and embrace traditionally prestigious careers like law, medicine or dentistry! These tend to be the traditional careers Afghan parents, like mine, encourage their children to pursue.??

Of course, we wanted to make our parents happy and fulfil their hopes. Still, as it happened, all four of us loved the social sciences and pursued sociology, psychology, politics and economics. It also happened that three out of four graduated. The one daughter who deviated was ME! I say that with so much pride because I loved education. I did very well in school, but I was always the only one to take the road less travelled. I had a natural urge to follow my own path and achieve something independently of what everyone else thought.

While completing my A levels in Psychology, Sociology, and Politics, I realised I was ready to enter the job market and forgo the traditional university route. Unfortunately, the options seemed limited, and apprenticeships weren’t a clear and obvious route at the time. I found myself in retail, working in the heart of Oxford street whilst endlessly looking online to find something inspiring. I came across an IT apprenticeship, promoting itself as a chance for women to find their place in IT. I went for it!

Six months into the IT engineering apprenticeship, I wasn't entirely convinced it was the path for me, so I reconsidered, researched, and found a business apprenticeship with One Global Solutions ( a language provider). The language industry was something I had never thought about, and I didn't even know it existed, but I embraced the challenge and was eager to learn as much as I could. Fast forward to today, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I’ve managed to move up the ladder at One Global, travelled the world, met INCREDIBLE people, Co-founded a fantastic initiative with Colour of Research and most importantly, found myself in a career that I can flourish and succeed.

I know my journey doesn't end here, but if it wasn't for apprenticeships, my life could have easily been so different from what it is. It wasn't an easy decision for me either; I had a lot of uncomfortable conversations with family and friends who pitied me for 'throwing away' my life or choosing a non-traditional career path. And there were days when I thought I was making the wrong choice. Every time I would log into my social media, I'd see my friends partying and having the best time at university. I had to accept that anyone looking in would consider me the black sheep of the family. BUT would I go back and change anything? Not one bit!!!

I can now proudly sit in a room with my family and feel adequate. I am so proud of what I have achieved.?I will forever appreciate those companies who open their doors to apprentices, and I will forever advocate for apprenticeships.

Finally, some things to consider,

1. Apprenticeships are for everyone!

2. Not all apprentices hate university

3. Apprentices are not academic failures

4. STOP ASSUMING EVERYONE HAS A DEGREE!

(5. we are debt free ??)