My name is Harry and I live in Bath, a small beautiful city in the south-west of England. I left school when I was 18, after taking my A levels. My results were not great, but probably high enough for university. However, I am not very academic so I decided not to study for a degree. I thought there would be lots of companies looking for bright school leavers who want to head straight into the world of work through an apprenticeship. Money was also a problem. Although there are tuition loans available and my parents were willing to help me financially, I didn't want to borrow money and then graduate from university with a huge debt.  

I started looking for an apprenticeship and it took me several months to get my first interview. My application was not successful; there were more than 4,000 applicants and only 20 were selected. I realised that apprenticeships were very competitive so I started to look for other jobs. I worked as a barista at coffee shops, I interviewed people on the street, I sold tickets for events, and I was even a human statue at different theme parks and festivals. I was not only enjoying myself, but managed to save more than £2,000. 

Then while I was working at one of the music festivals, I had an idea. Why not start up a mobile catering business? Buying a small trailer didn't require a large investment and finding someone to cook was easy. Now I have a team of 15 people, travel to fantastic events around the country, sell delicious food, and then watch people enjoy it. Although I didn't get my ideal apprenticeship in software development or accountancy, I am a successful young entrepreneur.