As thousands of students across the United Kingdom prepare to open their exam results and consider their next steps toward college, four inspiring individuals are proving that the traditional university path isn't the only route to achieving career success. From working with exotic animals at Chester Zoo to photographing international superstars like Harry Styles on tour, these stories demonstrate that skipping college doesn't mean missing out on dream careers.
Lloyd Wakefield, now 29, never imagined his future would involve photographing some of the world's biggest celebrities when he was growing up in Stockport. "Up until college, my only goal was to be a footballer," he explains. "I'm not the most academic. I didn't click with any lessons outside of PE. I'm a hands-on person." When his football dreams didn't materialize, Wakefield found himself working at Aldi, a German discount supermarket chain. It took him two years to find direction after his athletic aspirations ended.
Wakefield's photography journey began unexpectedly when he "caught a bug" for the craft through a friend's film camera. They spent their days off exploring and taking photos together. Through self-teaching via YouTube tutorials and extensive trial and error, Wakefield began reaching out to agencies and pursuing opportunities. This persistence led to a backstage position at Fashion Week and eventually to photographing Harry Styles' Love On Tour concert series. "If you told me when I was working in Aldi that I'd be in the music world, on a tour, it was so polar opposite of where I thought I was going to be," he reflects.
Wakefield's exceptional work on the Love On Tour project earned him the title of favorite tour photographer at the 2023 iHeartRadio Awards. His portfolio has since expanded to include collaborations with major celebrities and brands such as Dua Lipa, EA Sports, UFC, and Arsenal Football Club. He has also worked with Emma Corrin, star of the Netflix series "The Crown." Today, Wakefield operates Lloyd's Workshop, a creative community specifically designed to support young photographers who lack industry connections or formal training.
For aspiring creatives, Wakefield emphasizes the importance of patience and practical planning. "There's no shame in getting a normal job," he advises. "Use it to fund your passion. Don't rush it." Looking back on his decision to forgo university, he remains confident it was the right choice. "I learned way more by just kind of putting myself in those situations on set. The benefits vastly outweigh the negatives."
Frazer Walsh's path to working with lions at Chester Zoo began not in a laboratory or lecture hall, but with a job advertisement he discovered by chance. The 21-year-old from Widnes in Cheshire had applied to three different universities but felt reluctant about attending. "I applied for three different universities but I didn't want to go - it was just because I felt I had no other option," he admits. When he spotted a Chester Zoo apprenticeship listing, everything changed. "Then I saw a Chester zookeeping apprenticeship listed and thought: 'Oh my god, that's my dream, it's something I've always wanted to do.'"
Walsh's passion for animals began early in life, with an obsession that he says drove his mother "insane" due to his constant fascination with David Attenborough documentaries. However, he had no clear understanding of how to transform this interest into a viable career path. "You don't really hear of many zookeepers, or if you do, you don't really know how they got into that position in the first place," he explains. After completing a Level 3 zookeeping apprenticeship at Chester Zoo following his A-levels, Walsh has found tremendous fulfillment in his work.
Now a qualified keeper, Walsh describes the profound satisfaction of his responsibilities. "About a year into the apprenticeship, I was finally able to work with the lions by myself. They're your responsibility then, you're looking after them, and you take a lot of pride in it. That is something that I'll always keep with me." His advice echoes Wakefield's emphasis on patience: "Just don't rush it, because it's your life, isn't it? A job like this is really once in a lifetime, so just go for it."
Thaliqua Smith, a 25-year-old from south London, always dreamed of working in film production but felt that university wasn't the right path to get there. "I just felt like school should be done," she explains. Despite being told that further studies were necessary to break into directing and producing, Smith wasn't interested in continuing her formal education. Her father suggested exploring apprenticeship opportunities, leading her to discover the Channel 4 production training scheme.
The program immediately appealed to Smith's practical approach to learning. "It just sounded really cool," she recalls. "I thought, 'Wow, this is great. I'm working, I'm learning for a year. I'm earning money for a year in a field that would be amazing.'" Smith was selected as one of only ten participants in the program's inaugural year. From the very first day, she knew she had made the right decision.
Smith's career has flourished since completing the apprenticeship. She has worked on popular British television shows including "The Apprentice," "Naked Attraction," and "Rich Flavours" featuring Big Zuu and AJ Tracey. Her work has taken her internationally to locations including Spain and New York, and she has advanced to the role of assistant producer. "I didn't travel much as a kid, so to be flown to amazing places, staying in beautiful hotels, meeting insanely cool people - it's a dream come true," she says.
Now passionate about promoting alternative career paths, Smith advocates for greater awareness of apprenticeship opportunities. "Apprenticeships are amazing, [but] I had to dig through Google to find mine. They should be promoted way more," she emphasizes. Her advice focuses on self-confidence and patience: "Not let anyone convince you you can't do something. It's OK to not have it all figured out. Even people who act like they've got it figured out probably don't."
Faye Husband's journey to entrepreneurship was shaped by significant health challenges that made traditional schooling difficult. The 19-year-old was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, POTS (a condition causing dizziness), and hypermobility, which severely impacted her school attendance and caused anxiety. "I had a lot of time off and it was hard managing being off and then coming back to school and teachers and friends not understanding," she explains.
Husband eventually left mainstream education and was homeschooled before joining a support unit called Strive, which proved instrumental in her academic success. "That literally gave me my GCSEs - I probably wouldn't have managed them if I wasn't there," she acknowledges. After earning A-levels in criminology and psychology at college, Husband remained uncertain about pursuing university education.
The solution came from an unexpected source - her parents suggested turning a longtime hobby into a professional venture. "I'd done my own nails for years and my mum and dad said, 'Why don't you do a course and do it for other people?'" Husband took their advice and established Phaze Nails, operating from a converted garage at her home in Redcar. The business has become remarkably successful, with appointments typically booked up to a month in advance.
Self-employment has provided Husband with the flexibility needed to manage her health conditions while building meaningful relationships. "I've met so many nice people and made really strong friendships from it," she says. "That's usually stuff I don't get the opportunity to do, because I don't go out a lot." Her advice to young people emphasizes self-compassion and patience: "Be kind to yourself. Don't rush yourself into doing something that you're not ready to do."
These four success stories illustrate that while university education remains valuable for many career paths, it isn't the only route to professional fulfillment and success. Whether through apprenticeships, self-teaching, or entrepreneurship, alternative paths can lead to rewarding careers that might not have been possible through traditional academic routes. As exam results continue to arrive and young people make crucial decisions about their futures, these examples serve as powerful reminders that success can be achieved through various pathways, each tailored to individual strengths, circumstances, and dreams.
