A HIGH-ACHIEVING grammar school student who rejected going to university has revealed how she now earns over £60k a year and even bought her first house at just 23.
At the time, Izzy Miller, who is 25 from Kent, was met with resistance by both teachers and peers, but eventually landed an apprenticeship with Unilever having applied for 40 schemes.
Izzy, 25, from Kent, now rakes in over £60k a year[/caption]
The high-achieving grammar school student even bought her first house at just 23[/caption]
She started her apprenticeship on £18k, which went to 19k after a year and six months later at the age of 20, Izzy was earning £26k a year.
By 23, she’d bought her first house, all with zero student debt and was raking in a whopping £60k after securing a job as Head of Employer Partnerships at Pathway CTM – a national organisation that partners with schools and colleges across the UK to inspire, inform and support students as they prepare for life after full-time education
As today marks GCSE results day, which will see students making the difficult choice between continuing in further education or taking an apprenticeship route, Izzy has spoken exclusively to Fabulous Digital about her experiences – and why uni isn’t for everyone.
“At 17, while my classmates were refining their personal statements for university, I was certain of one thing: I wasn’t going,” Izzy says.
“There wasn’t a dramatic turning point – just a quiet, instinctive decision that higher education wasn’t for me.
“No one in my family had gone to uni, and I’d always had a strong pull towards working, earning and learning on the job.
“I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew it wouldn’t involve lectures or student loans.”
I bought my first house at 23. I’ve travelled, progressed in my career and built a life I love – not in spite of not going to university, but because I did what was right for me
Izzy Miller, 25
But not everyone was impressed with her decision, with Izzy claiming teachers warned her “you’ll earn more by going to university” and told her that her “potential is capped” if she doesn’t.
She says they also insisted it was “risky” not having a degree as a back up plan, adding that she’s academic so should “use it.”
Ignoring the background noise and determined by what she wanted for her own future, Izzy threw herself into the world of early careers, armed with motivation, a spreadsheet and very little idea what would come next.
What followed was 40 job applications, three replies and just one offer.
That one ‘yes’ changed everything.
The power of persistence
“I applied for everything – apprenticeships, internships, entry-level jobs,” Izzy recalls.
“I was working in retail and hospitality jobs at the time and knew I didn’t want to stay in them.
“But, since I’d ruled university out, the pressure to make something else work was immense.”
And it wasn’t long before the rejections rolled in, or, as Izzy points out, there was “no response whatsoever.”
Izzy says it took 40 job applications to receive one yes[/caption]
The 25-year-old recalls receiving several no’s to job applications, and in some instances, no responses at all[/caption]
She recalls: “It was tough. I cried a lot.
“I tracked every application on a spreadsheet that turned slowly red.”
Izzy’s A-Level results suffered as a result.
“The stress was real, and the silence was disheartening,” she explains.
“But the alternative – giving up and going back to the shop floor – wasn’t something I was willing to accept.”
The 25-year-old adds that what kept her going was “sheer determination” and the belief that there was someone out there who would see what she had to offer.
When one yes is all it takes
That someone turned out to be Unilever.
“Out of all the companies I had applied to, they were the only ones who kept me updated, welcomed me in person and treated me like a real candidate – not just a student without a degree,” she says.
“I got the call offering me a place on their Level 4 Associate Project Manager Programme during a media lesson at school.
“I remember running out of the classroom to accept it, barely able to believe I’d finally made it.”
Success isn’t defined by a university degree or A-Level results, it’s defined by how aligned your work is with your values, your goals and the life you want to build
Izzy Miller
She recalls how from day one she was treated like any other member of the team.
“I ran projects, joined international meetings and learned every day,” Izzy explains.
“No one asked if I had a degree – they just wanted to know what I could bring.”
What I learned early – and still carry with me
According to Izzy, that first “yes” taught her more than just business skills.
“It taught me that hard work beats traditional expectations, that relationships matter more than a CV and that you can be the only apprentice in the room and still be taken seriously,” she says.
Izzy goes onto explain how looking back, she’s come to believe that employers are still underestimating what non-graduate routes can deliver.
“When I applied in 2018, degree apprenticeships were still niche and often misunderstood,” she says.
“Today, they’re really taking off – and rightly so.
“School-leavers bring energy, curiosity and digital skills.
“Many have fought harder to be there than some graduates and often arrive more work-ready because of it.”
Shifting the narrative on success
Izzy insists: “We need to change the story we tell young people about what success looks like.
“Success isn’t defined by a university degree or A-Level results, it’s defined by how aligned your work is with your values, your goals and the life you want to build.
“I bought my first house at 23.
“I’ve travelled, progressed in my career and built a life I love – not in spite of not going to university, but because I did what was right for me.”
She adds: “At Pathway CTM, I now work with schools and employers to build more inclusive career paths.
“I share my journey because I want young people to see that success
doesn’t come in a one-size-fits-all format.
“You don’t have to follow the crowd, but you do have to work hard, ask questions and keep showing up – even when you’re
getting 39 no’s.”
A message to young people and employers
Now, Izzy is sharing her story to reassure any 17 or 18-year-old that if they’re unsure whether university is for them, it’s okay.
“Think about where you’d like to be in five years, not just what everyone else is doing,” she urges.
“There are more options than ever, and apprenticeships are one of the best-kept secrets in early careers.
“And if you’re an employer, take a chance on young talent.
“Build alternative pathways that don’t just open doors for graduates, but for all potential.
“You might be surprised by what one determined young person can bring to your business.”
She concludes: “That one ‘yes’ I got all those years ago didn’t just give me a job, it gave me the confidence to build a career on my own terms — and now, to help others do the same.”
Izzy says that first ‘yes’ taught her more than just business skills[/caption]
She says that apprenticeships are one of the ‘best-kept secrets in early careers’[/caption]
Izzy wants to change the story to tell young people about what success looks like[/caption]