A former Uniformed Protective Services student from Stratford-upon-Avon College has returned to inspire current students, sharing his remarkable journey from leaving school with no qualifications to building a rewarding career saving lives and serving his community.
Sasha began at the college with no GCSEs and worked his way through Level 1 Sport, followed by Level 2 and Level 3 Uniformed Protective Services, retaking GCSEs alongside, finishing with top marks; laying the foundations for a successful career as a medic and now a Police Officer.
Sasha had always known he wanted to be in the Public Services, but when he finished school with no qualifications due to his severe dyslexia, he needed to find a different route to his dream career.
He thrived during his time at college and credited the tutors in particular: “The course was really good and I learnt so much, but the best thing was the teachers, they really were the most help. Their support throughout my college journey and since has helped me get to where I am today.”
Sasha applied for a Special Constable position within the Police but was denied due to lack of experience. So, during his final year of college, he pursued first aid training and received a First Response Emergency Care (FREC) 3 qualification and began working for event medical company Showmed at weekends. He continued working there after completing his course, got his FREC 4 qualification and was promoted to Team Leader.
With his abundance of experience, and a successful application to join the Police Service, Sasha is about to complete his basic training and become a Police Officer in the local area. He was keen to speak to current students to show them how you can get to where you want to be, even if the journey is harder than you might think: “You are always going to fail at some point in life, but it’s what you do after that matters. Learn from it, try again. If I can do it, anyone can!”
Sasha spoke to current students about his journey from college to career
UPS Lecturer, Oliver Wilkins, commented: “Sasha started at the College with no qualifications and progressed through Level 2 and Level 3 courses with Distinction grades. He really shows what perseverance is and is an excellent role model for our students. We were delighted to welcome him back to share his experience with the current students.”
