Superdrug employee shares his experience climbing the corporate ladder to become Wellingborough store manager using 'perfect fit' apprenticeship scheme
With GSCE results day looming, Cameron’s story is a reminder that success can be found outside of the classroom
The store manager of Wellingborough’s Superdrug and his journey into management has shown that success comes in many forms.
With GCSE results day tomorrow (August 24), students all over the country will be anticipating those all-important grades that will determine their academic future, but Cameron Saunders, 22, found a different path that worked for him, thanks to an apprenticeship scheme that he described as a ‘perfect fit.’
He said: “I generally had no idea what I wanted to do when I left school and I found it a really stressful time trying to decide what was next for me in life.
"I’m dyslexic and I struggled with traditional education and book work, so I knew that I wanted to do something that gave me practical skills.
"I then saw an advert for the Superdrug apprenticeship scheme and just went for it - it sounded like the perfect fit for me.
"The rest is history and it has changed my life for the better and given me a career that I love.”
Cameron called an apprenticeship ‘an amazing way to kick start your career’, which he has proven to be true as he worked his way from apprentice to sales advisor, team leader, and assistant manager before landing the job as store manager after completing a level 2 & 3 retail apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship comes by way of Superdrug’s new campaign, ‘Rise Up to Level Up’, which pledges to employ 500 apprentices this academic year to help people like Cameron to find a worthwhile career in retail.
Since its launch in 2007, more than 4,500 people have achieved qualification and 30 per cent of graduates have chosen to stay within the business, with Cameron being one of the scheme’s success stories.
Cameron added: “The apprenticeship process has been amazing.
"It has taught me everything I know today and made me mature and develop from a child to an adult.
"The whole programme has been great, with a lot of hands-on learning, which suits my learning style perfectly and made it so much easier for me to understand and take it all in.
"My assessor and store manager have also been really supportive throughout the whole programme.”