When did you leave Chesterton Community College?
I left Chesterton in 2012, having started in Y7 in 2007.
What is your current job title or field?
I currently work as Atrium Theatre and Drama Studio Manager at Chesterton, as well as Technical Manager for the Atrium Theatre. I am also an actor and run a local theatre company ‘Corkscrew Theatre’, and work as a general ‘handyman’ on building sites.
Did you know as a teenager which career you wanted to pursue or did you come to realise this later on?
I always knew I wanted to pursue acting and work in theatre from a young age after being involved in school plays. The technical side of theatre has been a recent interest and I have learned a lot in the last few years. I started working on building sites in my early 20s and found I really enjoyed the work and learning more new skills!
How did you start on your career?
I run Corkscrew with a good friend Lesley Ford who used to be my Primary School teacher! We carried on doing plays when I left Arbury, and have developed our company together over the last 10 years. We have put on shows across the country and continue to work on an exciting programme for the future. Building was a different story: after a friend’s house was hit by a car, I was offered a job by the builder, and have continued to work with them in both commercial and private contracts as well as starting a business of my own.
What do you like about your job? High points?
Putting on a production takes a lot of time, work and stress, but the reward at the end of the show is always worth it!
The mix of pride, achievement and adrenaline after a performance, knowing you’ve put the work in with your team and entertained an audience is a fantastic feeling.
The same could be said for my construction work! The satisfaction of when something you’ve made fits perfectly, or you’ve painted the last room of the house and the hard work has paid off, it’s great to take pride in the finished product knowing you put in the maximum effort.
What is the first advice you would give a student wanting to follow in this direction?
If you’re interested in becoming an actor, there are so many ways into the industry. A common route is to go to Drama School for professional training. Doing GCSE and A Level Drama will help in drama education before this stage too.
Passion is key! There are lots of opportunities locally in amateur dramatic societies, or go ahead and apply for representation from a professional acting agency.
Putting on your own work, like we do at Corkscrew, is a great way to make your own opportunities. Whether it’s new writing or a piece you’re passionate about, collaborate with a team or on your own and make something!
If you’re more interested in the construction industry, there is lots to do in that field too. You could study something more technical at university, or start work earlier by applying for an apprenticeship.
If you want to work for yourself, you can start small by washing cars or cutting grass door to door and build up from there.
Both areas have great things to offer. From the culture, confidence and communication skills from drama, to the useful practical skills of the trade industry, all are skills for life!
