AS THOUSANDS of students open their A-level, T-level and BTEC results today, an apprentice has shared his stories about how he found an alternative route to develop his career.
And Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands sent them a good luck message and reassured them that he is continuing to put in place thousands of training, apprenticeship and work experience places to help put them on the road to a successful career.
Sam Hutchings who didn’t excel at his A Levels but didn’t let that get in the way of him shaping a fulfilling career.
Despite achieving good GCSEs, A Levels didn’t work out for Sam. He struggled with traditional classroom style learning and left school early, unsure of his future.
Sam spent some time trying a few different jobs – door-to-door sales and security and then had to step away from work altogether to care for his terminally ill mother.
But in 2024, Sam joined the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) funded Path 2 Apprenticeships (P2A) programme in Wolverhampton with Workpays.
The free, flexible course helped him build confidence, develop practical skills, and discover a new career path. Just months later, he secured a Level 4 apprenticeship in Business Development and now works on the very programme that helped him turn his life around.
Sam, now aged 24, was recognised for his learning journey with a Workplace Learning Achievement at the WMCA Adult Learning Awards 2025.
He said: “After losing my mum, I wasn’t sure which way to turn.
“An apprenticeship provided me with a different way of learning – more practical and that works for me as well as a route into work.
“Since starting work again, my life has changed so much. Previously I have had to live week to week but now I feel that I have stability and I’m able to think about my future. I can have ideas about where I want my career to take me and it’s all thanks to the training and support I received through Path 2 Apprenticeships.”
Sam’s story is a powerful reminder that success doesn’t always follow a straight line. With the right support, there are many ways to build a career, gain qualifications, and find purpose.
Mr Parker said: “This can be a tough time of year for young people awaiting results, but they can be assured that there are lots of options available no matter how they do in their exams.
“So, I want to wish good luck to everyone getting their results this week and next, but – as someone who myself left school at 16 with an uncertain future – I’d remind you that there are many different paths to success, and I’m committed to unlocking them for young people across our region.”
The WMCA has invested £7.5m over three years into the Path 2 Apprenticeships programme which helps young people decide whether an apprenticeship is the right route for them to gain employment. The programme also provides businesses with a valuable opportunity to recruit new talent.
The WMCA offers a wide range of employment and skills programmes for those young people whose A-Level results are not what they had hoped for or who are simply looking for a different path to a career.,
A post exam guide full of useful information and advice for young people thinking about what to do next is available to download from the WMCA website.
