01 February 2002

Pauline Reynolds (21) was so determined to better herself, that she was prepared to take a drop in wages from £180 per week down to £80 so that she could move to a job offering training for national qualifications.

"It was the best decision I ever made, although it was a very difficult one because I was also in line for promotion at the food processing factory where I worked," said Pauline, who lives in Bodmin.

When she was 17, Pauline achieved a GNVQ level 2 merit in Leisure and Tourism at Bodmin Community College. Then, not knowing what she wanted to do, Pauline donned wellies and a white coat and went to work in the factory.

"After I'd been there for about two years, I went to the local careers office for advice about updating my CV. I was referred to Ultra Training, and they arranged a work placement for me as an office junior at JAG Communications head office in Bodmin" said Pauline.

By October 2000, Pauline was employed and training with JAG as a Modern Apprentice aiming for NVQ level 2 in Business Administration. She is in the final stage of gaining her qualification, having also achieved certificates in information technology, typing, word processing, and key skills in IT, communication, working with numbers etc.

"I'm half-way through doing level 2 in IT as part of my Modern Apprenticeship training, and will soon begin a Customer Service course, followed by training to achieve NVQ level 3 in administration," said Pauline.

Having been prepared to start at the bottom - doing tasks such as photocopying, scanning and filing - Pauline's hard work and training has been rewarded. She has been promoted to the post of adminstration supervisor, managing a team of four.

"The work is challenging," said Pauline. "My team processes all contracts, which averages about 1,000 per week. We are constantly talking to customers, sorting out any queries, and dealing with the phone network providers.

"The Modern Apprenticeship has given me challenges and opportunities to improve my career prospects, with training allowing me to learn a range of skills and gain practical experience. My decision to change direction, and achieve work-based qualifications has definitely paid off.