Making the most of every opportunity

During my time at The Juice Academy, we’ve heard from a few guest speakers, but the most inspirational one for me was David Parr, mainly because I could relate to his story.

He started out as a Royal Marine but was released due to an injury, which meant he could no longer carry the weight on his back. This caused a drastic career change for him.

I have played basketball since I was nine, and I was playing for Manchester when I dislocated my knee and ended up having to have my knee reconstructed, meaning I could no longer play the sport I loved.

Obviously this devastated me, but I decided to keep an open mind when it came to what my career might turn out to be. I applied to The Juice Academy as it allowed me to do what I normally do every day while studying for a qualification and making me job-ready by the end.

This is my second apprenticeship – first the worst, second the best – and I’m really enjoying it. I look forward to going to work every day and learning new things, plus our training at the Academy allows us to hear from inspirational speakers like David.

Listening to him made me think about past experiences I have had and got me thinking about how I would like to continue to progress and push myself to be the best I can be. I’ve learnt that it’s not always about qualifications – it’s about the effort and commitment you have to your role.

David is now a successful banker – not the type that sits behind a desk counting money and cheques, but a relationship director at Barclays PLC.

He’s happy with his job and what he does and he visited the Academy to teach us about making the most of everything – you should take every opportunity given to you and do the best you can.

If there was one thing I took away from the session, it was that you should never quit, you should give everything your all and that you don’t always need a plan.

By Cory Waterworth