Ambitions fuelled by brush with unfulfilling career
THE decision to take time out of a stressful job running petrol station franchises proved a life-changing move for Emma Ballantyne.
“I was unhappy, and didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew it was now or never,” she explains.
“I’m now just a year away from completing my Modern Apprenticeship in painting and decorating at South Lanarkshire College, and it’s been amazing.”
Emma is one of seven Modern Apprentices studying at South Lanarkshire College who are also employed there.
“If you’d told me this is where I’d be five years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you,” smiles Emma, who lives in East Kilbride.
“I knew I wanted to do something creative, so after some really helpful advice from South Lanarkshire
College, I applied for the City and Guilds Painting and Decorating course.
“During the year-long course, my confidence in my painting and decorating skills was increasing, and I was really enjoying doing this practical type of work.”
She adds: “My family and friends had started to ask me to carry out small decorating jobs for them and I realised that if I wanted to develop my skills even further, getting an apprenticeship was the best way to do that.”
Now in her third year, Emma combines her studies with working as part of the College’s maintenance team.
“I’m getting so much more confident, and I am also developing more specialised skills, such as marbling, gilding and sign-writing, which is what I’m really interested in,” she says.
Emma is keen to encourage anyone considering a Modern Apprenticeship to take the opportunity and “just go for it.”
“It’s great having an employer to support you – you get real work experience, which also helps with your personal development,” she adds.
Having previously run her own business, Emma is keen to do so again.
“That’s what I’m aiming for, but whatever I do, I know that having a trade under my belt is a very good idea, because you will always be able to use it,” she says.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a school leaver or a mature student, anyone can apply for an apprenticeship.
“It’s a fantastic way to develop your skills, work towards a recognised qualification and earn a wage while you learn.”