Alice initially enrolled at her local sixth form, but quickly realised that it was not for her and she could do with a change in scenery. . She enrolled at CWA, choosing A-level subjects that would give her a variety of options, as she was not entirely sure what she wanted to do in the future.

Alice says, “Out of all my subjects, I enjoyed studying History the most. Although I wasn’t a star student,  I found the topics really interesting,  especially when it came to the witch craze”.

After she finished her A-levels, Alice started a degree apprenticeship to gain a NCTJ qualification in journalism, working for Iliffe Media as an apprentice reporter for the Lynn News, Fenland Citizen, LincsOnline and YourLocalPaper.

Alice says, “My job involves finding and writing a variety of story types for websites and newspapers. These stories could be human interest, business, crime, accidents and much more. On a day to day, I interview people in-person and over the phone.

Although the A-level subjects I took don’t typically correspond with journalism, a big part of my apprenticeship is about knowing the laws on what can and can’t be written and what I can and can’t do. Doing Applied Law at CWA has helped tremendously with that, as most of the principles I have already studied before”.

After gaining her NCTJ qualification in journalism, Alice plans to achieve her NCJ qualification (equivalent to a master’s degree) and become a senior reporter.

Alice adds, “When I first applied for the apprenticeship at the Lynn News (mid-way through college), I didn’t get it and I was gutted. However, I kept returning there for work experience. Finally, the editor offered me the job, as he could see that I clearly had a passion for it. So my advice would be to keep trying because it really can pay off. I absolutely love my job and I find it funny how in just two years, I could go from not knowing what I wanted to do, to not imagining a different career”.