Woman who left school at 15 and failed her GCSEs now earns £60,000 per year
If Jeremy Clarkson's annual words of advice on results day haven't reassured you that grades aren't everything, perhaps this woman's pearls of wisdom will.
The TV star shares a social media post each year to console those who didn't do too well academically, but Cheryl Stewart's life story might strike more of a chord with some.
She revealed she could 'barely write an email' by the time she left the education system - but now, she's raking in £60,000 a year and has just published her first novel.
Cheryl might have started out working in a sausage factory at the age of 15, but she has gone on to achieve incredible levels of success.
Advert
The 39-year-old, from Blackridge, Scotland, explained that she 'didn't think' she would go on to achieve much after struggling in the classroom as a kid.
Noting that she 'wasn't the strongest student', she said: "I left high school at 15, with low to average results.
"I didn’t think I was going to be successful, I thought I’d work in a factory for the rest of my life.
"I don’t work well in an educational setting because my brain works differently, and I think a lot of people can relate to that.
"There’s a lot of pressure for kids to do well in school, but it’s not the end of the world if you’re not good at those things."
Cheryl didn't leave school entirely empty handed - but got grades four (GCSE F/G or 1-2) and five (below a GCSE pass).
'When I left school, I could barely write an email'
She then studied photography at college and started working in a sausage factory over the weekend, which is where she thought she would remain.
"I didn’t feel like I had the education or the ability to do anything else", the Scotswoman said. "When I left school, I could barely write an email."
But six months later, Cheryl took the plunge and decided to try something new. She swapped the sausage factory for a sales administrative job, while still attending college.
After wrapping up her studies, she went full time there before being made redundant at the age of 18.
From there, Cheryl got a temp position in data entry at a medical research company, earning £14,000 a year, before going on to rise the ranks.
By 26, she was a project manager, and has been for the last 13 years.
Despite her lack of qualifications, nowadays, she manages clinical trials for experimental drugs, a role with a typical salary of £60,000.
Explaining how she got there, Cheryl went on: "As I’ve worked there since age 18, I’ve just been able to do on-the-job training and learn all I needed to know that way."
In July, she then decided to try out writing - and after deciding to 'give it a go', she ended up producing a medical thriller, titled Elderidge: Committed.
Cheryl's successes
She's also got two children's books under her belt, Teeny Tommy and the Demon Dog of Tucker Road and Teeny Tommy and the Fringe Festival.
Cheryl said she was 'blown away' by the response to her books so far, and believes her success goes to show that academic prowess isn't the be all and end all.
Sharing some words of encouragement for youngsters who might be in the same boat as she was, she added: "School isn’t the end of the story; it’s just the beginning.
"I had so many pitfalls early in my story, and here I am at nearly 40 years old, and I’m a completely different person to who I was at high school."
Olivia Burke