Aoife Lonergan, 16, from Port Talbot, was inspired to pursue her passion for engineering and take her first step towards her dream career in Formula One.
When Aoife began Year 11, she had many interests but wasn’t sure which career path to take. Dentistry appealed to her, but she also had a growing fascination with engineering.
She said: “I was a little bit lost on what I wanted to do with my career. I had all these passions, and I didn’t really know what route to follow.”
Wanting to explore her options, Aoife booked an appointment with her school’s careers adviser from Careers Wales, Hannah Tossell.
Hannah encouraged her to think about the skills she wanted to develop. Together, they explored potential careers that matched her A-level choices.
Aoife explained: “She asked me what kind of interests I had, what subjects I enjoyed, and we went through possible careers that I could do with the A-levels I wanted to take.”
Looking into dentistry, Aoife realised the required qualifications weren’t the right fit for her. With Hannah’s guidance, she turned her focus to engineering.
Hannah introduced her to the Careers Wales website, where Aoife completed the careers match quiz. Engineering came out as one of her top results.
Aoife said: “Hannah’s very supportive, very lovely. I feel like I can talk to her really easily. She made me feel secure with my choices.”
Since receiving support, Aoife has gained clarity and confidence in her career ambitions. She has chosen her A-level subjects and is now focused on her goal of studying engineering or materials science at university.
Her enthusiasm has already led to exciting opportunities. With advice on CV writing and cover letters from Hannah, Aoife applied for a work experience placement in motorsport materials science. She was successful and spent her summer gaining first-hand industry experience.
Looking ahead, Aoife dreams of working in Formula One as a motorsport engineer: “I’m really excited. I can’t wait to start working towards my A-levels and my university degree. It’s really opened doors for me.”
With thousands of students set to receive their A-level, GCSE and vocational qualification results, Welsh Government is encouraging learners to contact Working Wales, a free and impartial service for anyone aged 16 and over that is delivered by Careers Wales.
As part of the Welsh Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee, anyone aged between 16 and 24 can access help to find a place in education or training, secure a job, or start their own business.
Support is delivered through Working Wales, where young people can speak directly with an expert careers adviser for guidance tailored to their individual goals and circumstances.