For most of my teenage years, my life revolved around balance: not the kind you plan, but the kind you learn through repetition. 

During my GCSEs, I was balancing academy training with Harlequins alongside schoolwork. My weeks were structured: wake up, go to school, get home early, drive from Wembley to Surrey with my dad for 3hrs of training and find time to revise wherever I could. It was demanding, but it gave me a sense of identity and direction and I thought it would all be worth it in the end. Rugby wasn’t just something I did: it was central to who I was. 

Even after being dropped from the academy in sixth form, the routine in my head didn’t disappear. I continued balancing school and rugby, refusing to let go of the sport that had shaped so much of my life.  

My plan was clear: either secure an engineering degree apprenticeship in London, allowing me to keep training and pushing toward professional rugby, or go to university on a sports scholarship to study engineering, where rugby would remain just as central. Both paths felt achievable. Both allowed me to keep my options open. 

What I didn’t realise then was that trying to carry everything at once would eventually force a shift. Not through choice, but through circumstance. 

Learning What to Prioritise 

By the time I started Year 12, balancing felt normal. I was still juggling school, club and county rugby, while trying to take advantage of the new freedom sixth form offered. Academically, I chose Maths, Physics, Design Technology, Psychology and PE to keep my options open, knowing I was still undecided between university and a degree apprenticeship. 

That freedom, however, came with less structure. Without the rigid timetable I was used to, it became easier to stretch myself too thin and because of that, I felt the need to drop Physics – which I still regret. I wasn’t giving anything my full attention. I quickly learned that being productive didn’t mean being busy.  

Things began to change when I started to change when I started attending networking events with friends. Listening to apprentices and employers speak about their journeys made the idea of degree apprenticeships feel real rather than distant. I saw people not much older than me earning qualifications, gaining industry experience and building careers with purpose. 

For the first time, I wasn’t trying to keep every option open – I wanted to focus on something specific. Conversations at apprenticeship events gave me direction and showed me that focus isn’t limiting: it’s motivational. 

A Summer That Demanded Commitment 

The summer after Year 12 marked a shift in how seriously I approached my future. Although rugby was still in mind, I committed fully to preparing myself: studying for Cambridge/Imperial admission tests and gathering as much work experience as possible for degree apprenticeships. 

I was fortunate enough to secure work experience at Bentley and Rolls-Royce, opportunities that gave me invaluable insight into engineering in practice. One placement required travelling from London to Derby for a week, something I had never done before. The long days, early mornings and unfamiliar environment pushed me outside my comfort zone but showed me what professional commitment looked like. 

Seeing engineering in action, from how teams collaborate to how problems are approached, helped bridge the gap between theory and reality. It confirmed that this wasn’t just something I wanted to study: it was something I wanted to do. By the time sixth form resumed, I felt that more confident and more certain about the direction I was heading in. 

When Momentum Turned into Doubt 

When I sat my admissions tests, the pressure I had been carrying quietly for months began to suface. I had put a huge amount of time and energy into preparing, but once the tests were over, confidence didn’t follow. Instead, doubt crept in. I started replaying questions in my head, fixating on what I could have done better and questioning whether I was good enough for the institutions I had been aiming for. 

That uncertainty led to one of the hardest decisions I made during sixth form: removing Cambridge from my UCAS. It felt like stepping back from a challenge I had once fully believed I could take on, but at the time, it felt safer than risking disappointment. 

Not long after, everything seemed to unravel at once. I put the time back into rugby for selection in the England Counties team, I picked up an injury that abruptly stopped my rugby season, removing the last source of structure and motivation from my life. With training and matches no longer part of my routine, I was forced to confront how much of my identity had been tied to the sport. 

Individually, these moments where manageable. Together, they were unsettling. Confidence dipped, routine disappeared and the pressure I had been pushing aside finally caught up with me.  Looking back, this period was uncomfortable, but necessary. It marked the moment where uncertainty stopped being something I could ignore and became something I had to address head on.  

A Change in Direction 

Losing sport forced me to slow down, and in that space, I was finally able to reflect. Without the constant cycle of training and recovery, I had no choice but to redirect my energy. What initially felt like a setback became a wake-up call and I realised that if I wanted to move forward, I needed to commit fully to one path rather than spreading myself across too many. 

I put that focus into degree apprenticeship applications. I spent weeks writing and refining cover letters, completing assessments and preparing for interviews with the help of my family and friends. Rejection became part of the process. Some applications ended quickly, others progressed through multiple stages before falling short. Each rejection was frustrating, but even more motivating.  

Gradually things began to shift. I received strong feedback, progressed further in assessment centres and eventually secured several offers alongside my university options. Still, I waited patiently for my first-choice company. 

When I was invited to an assessment centre with Transport for London, I approached it differently. I prepared with intention – researching the role, understanding the organisation’s values and focusing on presenting myself authentically. That mindset made all the difference. 

Receiving my offer at Transportation felt like the culmination of everything I had worked towards. It wasn’t just the result I wanted; it was the path that felt right. 

Since starting at TfL, I’ve loved the balance between learning and real-world responsibility. Being trusted with meaningful work in my placement with the DLR restock and extension project and seeing the impact of what I do on a system used by millions everyday has been incredibly rewarding. Looking back, I now see that being forced to focus wasn’t a limitation: it was the opportunity I needed. 

What I’ve Learned & My Advice 

1. Rejection is Redirection – Rejection is a part of the process. Remember to always use it as a opportunity to reflect and learn for your next step. 
2. Say yes – Never reject an opportunity without trying first. You’ll be surprised with how many interesting people you can meet and things you can learning at networking and insight events 
3. Do what you enjoy – When applying to apprenticeships, it’s easy to get tempted by the salaries. You wouldn’t pick a university course that you don’t like, so treat degree apprenticeships the same way.  
4. Take the time to relax – In sixth form and college, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with revision and applications. Your downtime is as important as your studies, so don’t be afraid to take a break. 
5. Don’t be perfect, be yourself – Whether you’re at school, work, interview or assessment centre, never be afraid to be yourself. The right people and opportunities will always come to you. 

I want to share my story to show that not every setback is a failure, and not every pause is permanent. Focus, patience and timing matter more than trying to chase everything at once. If my journey proves anything, it’s that the right path often becomes clear when you commit to it fully. 

Joseph Belgrave 

Building Services Engineering Degree Apprentice at Transport for London | Black Apprentice Network Ambassador

You can find out more and connect with Joseph on LinkedIn.