An inspirational north-east teenager is hoping to encourage others to follow in her footsteps by taking part in a “life-changing” initiative.
Abbie Welsh, who left Meldrum Academy earlier this month, was awarded Aberdeenshire’s Career Ready Student of the Year prize.
The award was in recognition of her “transformation” from a shy, nervous pupil into a confident student, who was self-assured enough to address the council’s education committee yesterday.
The Pitmedden 17-year-old was put forward for the programme by deputy head, Craig Sim, which lasted two years and finished with a four-week placement at Balnagask House care home in Torry.
Miss Welsh, who is an aspiring journalist, said: “I was definitely a lot less confident before I did the programme, I hated going up and speaking in front of people and now I’m doing something like this – which is the opposite.
“I worked in a care home where you were forced into a situation where you had to speak to people, because it was older people.
“If you were sitting next to them you couldn’t just sit in silence because that’s rude and they didn’t like that.”
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The Career Ready programme lasts two years and teaches participants skills like communication, networking and how to sell themselves to employers.
Miss Welsh is now hoping to study media and communications at university, dependant on her exam results, but has already secured a place at North East Scotland College.
Mr Sim co-ordinates the programme for the school and has been involved for five years.
He said Miss Welsh’s transformation had been “phenomenal”and praised her for coming an “awful long way”.
“Abbie wouldn’t have said boo to a goose, she would have kept her head down in the corridor and passed you by and never said hello or spoke,” she said.
“And since then she has developed a massive confidence, her personality has just shone. She developed a great relationship with Helen Roe, who was her mentor at Bon Accord Care.
“She has spoken at the launch event for the next year’s programme, she spoke onstage at the Perth Concert Hall for the graduation and now has been asked to speak to councillors as well.
“She’s really come an awful long way. It’s really inspiring to see her journey.”