Charlie Heron
Attended: Young Architect Weekend
Now: A Trainee Technical Coordinator
"I was told about InvestIN through my sixth form, and was really intrigued by The Young Architect Programme, as I have always had an interest in construction and design, and knew this was the direction I wanted my career to take. I took part in November 2019 when I had just started Year 13.
The experience, although only lasting a day, was really insightful. Despite attending alone I got stuck in with the group tasks, in which we had to design a house based on the brief given, as well as developing my skills on 3D modelling software. We also had seminars from industry professionals, and were given advice on building our CVs and portfolios. Overall, I came away from the experience incredibly inspired, and ended up applying for architecture at university.
The pandemic hit right before I was due to sit my A-Levels, and I ended up taking a gap year to reassess my options for the future. I was working full time, and resat all my exams only six weeks after receiving my results. This gave me the confidence I lacked to pursue higher education, and although I decided against full time university, I realised a degree apprenticeship suited me more.
I may not have pursued architecture, but my experience with InvestIN was still extremely valuable as it reinforced my passion for design and construction, and encouraged me to look for roles to develop it further through my career. This led me to apply for my current role as a Trainee Technical Coordinator, which I started in September 2021 alongside studying Construction Management at university."
The Alumni Project
We often get asked what our students do beyond InvestIN - whether they continue to pursue the same career, or pivot into a different field. In 2023 we conducted a survey of our alumni students to find out what they are doing now and whether InvestIN helped them in this journey.
80% of respondents said that our programmes helped them decide what career to pursue
78% of respondents referenced InvestIN in their university application
3/4 of respondents that referenced InvestIN received a place at their first choice university
2/3 of respondents said our programmes gave them the knowledge and skills they needed to succeed in their chosen career