The rich, the famous…

As an apprentice, It can sometimes seem hard to believe that all the people in higher positions than you who appear to have been there forever, started from nowhere too. In fact, 3 in 10 Senior management positions are filled by former apprentices, which shows that you really don’t need a university degree to work your way to the top!
Can you guess any of the people who will be listed below? I think you’ll be surprised..

Gordon Ramsay

Now known for his colourful vocabulary, short temper and TV cooking talents, Gordon once started off as an apprentice too! His chef career began in the mid 1980’s when he began a hotel management apprenticeship with North Oxfordshire Technical college. Almost 30 years later, The Hell’s Kitchen star has TV shows broadcasting in several countries and has owned or operated over 40 restaurants. Not bad for an apprentice, Eh!

Sir Alex Ferguson

When Alex was younger in the 1950’s, there weren’t any training academies for wanna-be footballers. For Sir Ferguson, this meant spending close to 5 years as an apprentice at a typewriter factory in Glasgow’s Shipyard. And of course, he still played as a promising striker in his free time..

Alexander McQueen

While we’re on to Alex’s, famous fashion designer Alexander McQueen is another one of our brilliant celebs who started off in the world of apprenticeships. After bagging himself an apprenticeship in tailoring after leaving school with only one O level, McQueen then went on to launch his own fashion label, which still sells amazingly well now, more than 4 years after his death.

Ozzy Osbourne

Before his rise to stardom, Ozzy completed an apprenticeship in plumbing. Once this was over, Ozzy swapped tools for tattoos and launched his rock and roll career, leading him to solo work, and his own TV show titled ‘The Osbournes’ also featuring the rest of his family.

Elvis Presley

In the 1950’s, Elvis took on an apprenticeship as an electrician so he could earn and learn while he was trying to break in to the music industry. Soon after his apprenticeship ended, Elvis left his plumbing days behind to fulfil his dreams and become an international success.

The list doesn’t end there. As well as these big names, other famous past apprentices include comedian Bill Connolly, TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh, Chef Jamie Oliver, F1 engineer Ross Brawn, Hollywood star Sir Michael Cane and many more.

Happy National Apprenticeship Week! #GetInGoFar