Spending a day shadowing a senior director of Adobe was an eye-opening insight into the role of a business executive in a sector-leading organisation. Learning about how departments perform in Adobe, how they are motivated and general workforce management, encouraged me to study business and management at degree level. I am a driven individual who has a strong interest in business and management, with a passion for progression and a strong analytical understanding of businesses.

My A level studies have provided me with transferable skills that will allow me to prosper in HE. A focus on aesthetics and technology encouraged through my photography course to understanding human communication within society in English. Media Studies has given me an awareness of successful marketing strategies, exploring consumer demands and creatively combining the interests of the media sector and business related industries. My A Level English course has allowed me to become a competent communicator; improving my writing skills and equipping me with the ability to analyse texts linguistically as well as communicating with a diverse range of people. My favourite module was ‘language and the work place’ because I explored how power and gender influences language choice. I was selected as the subject ambassador for photography due to my strong achievements; a very influential role which allowed me to represent photography in open days/ parents evening and assisting in the department. My favourite task was producing photographs for the school newsletter as I enjoyed having the responsibility of performing under pressure and to a professional standard. Having recognition of my A Level results in the 2017 academic awards, shows that I am a committed individual who is willing to actively contribute towards such a competitive industry.

Involving myself in the 2015 NCS graduation programme was an inspirational journey both mentally and physically. Embarking on such a personal challenge allowed me to develop several lifelong skills. Managing and budgeting an idea to pitch to a group of professionals was a daunting experience which gave me the confidence to propose my ideas and plans. I was involved in voluntary work for the local disabled community in Leamington Spa to make a difference through creative mediums. I was assigned as the project manager, responsible for motivating my group and driving ideas and concepts for our campaign – all of which improved my leadership and problem-solving skills.

I progressed quickly whilst working at Marks and Spencer part–time during my 6th form studies, taking on additional responsibilities. This has given be a basic knowledge of consumer demands and operation of the company in the foods department. The management team had noticed my service skills, my desire to learn and how I have hit all my KPIs and created a personal commercial management project in my PDR meeting. Upskilling myself on accuracy and availability gave me a familiar understanding of our stores stock file and the processes that drive it during the festive season. Learning about Marks and Spencer’s food sales histories was insightful as I used this knowledge to drive promotions to increase yearly growth. Organising festive tasting events to engage our target market gave me an idea of how a company internally markets its products during competitive seasons.

During my gap-year I sought to gain as much experience within different businesses and split my time between M&S and Jack Wills. My entrepreneurial spirit led me to research the history of Jack Wills and how successfully the brand developed over 18 years; venturing into Europe this year.

Having hands on experience in the business industry and a genuine interest in the subject, I am even more prepared to make the transition between 6th form studies and a successful gap year to the academic rigour of a degree.