During my time at Chulmleigh, I was unsure of the career path I wanted to pursue until I attended an event in Exeter where I met Royal Air Force recruiters. From that moment, I knew that joining the RAF was the path I was meant to follow.

I was particularly inspired by my sister, also a former Chulmleigh College pupil, who became an instructor for Advanced Manufacture and Repair Technicians - the trade I am now entering. Listening to her speak about her role and experiences within the RAF confirmed that this was the career I wanted to pursue. Motivated by this goal, I worked hard to achieve my GCSEs and later enrolled at Bicton College to study Military and Protective Services.

During my time at college, one of my instructors was a former RAF Police Sergeant who provided valuable guidance and support throughout my application process. The application process took approximately six months, culminating in receiving my basic training start date of 25th August.

Leaving home to begin basic training was one of the most challenging experiences I have faced, but it has been incredibly rewarding. The initial weeks focused on adapting to military life, including living away from home and sharing accommodation with ten other recruits. Although it was a significant adjustment, I persevered and successfully completed the course.

Throughout training, I developed a wide range of skills, including CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) procedures, weapon handling, basic first aid, and fieldcraft — the latter being a particular highlight. We spent a week in the field simulating deployment conditions, learning essential operational skills. We also experienced adventure training in Wales, where we took part in team-building activities that strengthened resilience and leadership. In the final phase of training, we focused on rifle drill and preparation for our graduation parade.

Graduation day was one of the proudest moments of my life, and sharing that achievement with my family made it even more meaningful.

I am now in holding, preparing to begin Phase Two of my training and looking forward to continuing my development within the Royal Air Force.

I am currently working as a Conservation Scientist for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) up in the highlands of Scotland. I’m working on two different projects, one is studying habitat use of the rare Slavonian grebe and the other project is studying the impacts of a large-scale habitat restoration project called Cairngorms Connect. My job is really varied, including planning research projects, doing fieldwork, and writing up my results as reports and scientific publications. Aside from doing my research I’ve also given talks to visiting groups, run events for school pupils and even been filmed for a TV show (BBC Landward).

My career path has been really varied but always following a biological theme. After leaving Chulmleigh in 2012 I went to Exeter College for my A levels, studying biology, chemistry, maths and further maths. This set me up for a BA Biological Sciences degree at the University of Oxford. During my degree I went to Honduras to study invasive lionfish for my dissertation project and I enjoyed it so much that I ended up staying at Oxford to do a PhD on lionfish ecology and behaviour. After my PhD I worked for the RSPB for two years, mainly doing fieldwork for Cairngorms Connect, which involved wild camping up in the mountains whilst surveying moths, birds and plants. I then moved to Portsmouth University to work as a Senior Research Associate, using a sea angling competition to study sharks and rays in the Solent. After that contract I moved back to the Cairngorms for my current job.

It might sound like a big jump between my marine biology background and then studying moths and birds, but lots of the required skills are actually the same. These transferable skills include things like coordinating fieldwork, working in a team, data analysis, and communication skills. These are all skills that I initially developed through my PhD and fieldwork in Honduras but have continued to develop throughout my career, regardless of what species or habitat I am researching.