August is a month for downtime and the summer holidays. To spend quality time with the family either camping or getting away to someone new, with better weather than the UK.

The other day it got me thinking, for some August, is a month of dread and worry, awaiting the anticipation of whether exams were passed and can you achieve the next steps in your educational journey.

So many hopes and dreams in the mix with emotions of Will I succeed or fail. My advice to you right now is to try not to overthink it.

Look at your options- I was never one for the academic life. My first ambition was art. It turns out I was dreadful at it, but I loved it. My career and the professional journey I had only happened out of stumbling into it. I was given an opportunity and gave it a go.

It’s started with an ‘enterprise competition’ I participated in it whilst studying at Sixth Form, Bewdley High School. The role given to me was sales manager for the competition. We were selling wonky vases, jewellery, and ceramic chess sets. I sold everything to all the local shops, and we won the competition for the district and got to the final for the county.

I soon realised art wasn’t my destined career, then I saw an advert for an engineer apprenticeship. I’ll be honest I was a little rough around the edges but the guy who interviewed me saw my passion (he also asked if I was the lad who had won the young enterprise competition, rather proudly I said ‘indeed I did). By 24 years old, I was running my first profit and loss account.

I was a lad who took a non-conventional route to work. I didn’t care because I was learning and earning. I was frustrated with the academic situation and exams. Pay me to learn, I’m in, and the rest is history.

The learning hasn’t stopped – still, to this day I’m learning. The key thing I want to get across to anyone who is still reading. There are always other options and opportunities out there. Rather than thinking everything is destined for what you choose subject-wise or course right now in your younger years, it doesn’t always turn out to be your final destination to career.

So, see what is out there and if there is any advice, I can give you. Make sure what you choose to do as a job is what you enjoy doing. It may sound silly, but you spend 75% of your time at work. The life choice you need to make is the pace- do you want to chase the dollar or keep a steady pace allowing you to learn and grow.

Good luck to all those collecting GCSEs and A-Levels. Don’t forget to go and see what is out there right on the doorstep within your local communities. Find out about how things operate the local restaurant- beauticians or even the factory. As you never know what opportunities could be right in front of your eyes.

I am a great believer in apprenticeships it helped to start my career. Whatever you decide is best for you. Just make sure you enjoy it get the balance right.

Simon Hyde – CEO of FAUN Zoeller (UK) Ltd