When Talha Wadud was told that "apprenticeships are for dropouts", he was determined to prove it wrong - and at just 16, he did. Rejection letters and pressure from his family made full-time education look more tempting.

Thanks to his persistence, he’s a civil engineering degree apprentice at Tony Gee and Partners, gaining hands-on learning and practical experience. Now he’s using his passion to inspire the next generation by attending school career events and assisting with work experience.