“Teachers at school led me to believe that A Levels were the only way to achieve anything in life,” says 23-year-old Thomas Edwards who chose an alternative route to give him the grades he needed to go to university.
With an interest in computer games, combined with a passion for modelling vehicles and a love of cars, Thomas signed-up for a HNC and HND in creative media production (games design) and is now working as a junior vehicle artist for Rockstar North, home to the Grand Theft Auto Series.
Thomas added: “I chose the college route after school as my grades weren’t good and I wasn’t interested in going to university at that time anyway.
“I followed my passion for computer games and it gave me the chance to find out what I really wanted to do in the industry, gain a specialty and go to university afterwards.
“If you find a specific area you love then work hard and your efforts will pay off, especially when you don’t expect it – I never tought I’d be where I am today.”
Gaining the HNC and HND at college enabled Thomas to progress to the second year of a degree course at Staffordshire University where he graduated with a BEng first class honours.
