From Education Resistor to Life-Long Learner and TEDx speaker – Joanna Rawbone
We’ve just been through that time of year, when young people get their results and they feel the whole of their future is pinned on that one day. Just like last year, there has been a lot more uncertainty than normal this year.
Today we meet Joanna Rawbone, her story has echoes of Sophie Breslin who we met in January, having left education during A levels and found a path that was the right one for her. Joanna is a powerful woman who has a mission to champion the cause of introverts so that they fulfill their potential whilst being themselves, through her business flourishing introverts.
Liz spoke to Joanna about her journey.
Hi Joanna, thanks for joining me today. Tell me why you chose to speak to me today!
Hi Liz, thanks for having me! Yes, this is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I am always affected around results day when I hear stories of desperate young people who don’t get the exam results they thought they needed. Near where I live we see motorway closures, when young people jump off the bridges. It’s heartbreaking.
Oh Joanna, that’s tragic. I hope that we can make a difference by telling our stories. So what was your education journey?
I went to a girls grammar school in Kent, where it was encouraged that girls would go on to become a secretary or a nurse. Only a few girls went to university.
I probably would have done better if I went to a non-selective school and was one of the brighter pupils, rather than struggling at grammar school. Although, I did okay on my O levels.
Both my parents were teachers and I thought I really ought to stay on and do A levels. But, half way through the first year I realised that they weren’t for me.
You are not the first person I’ve heard that from. What happened?
At O level we were fed information, and there was no transition or help. A levels were so different, I had to be an independent learner. This was combined with not loving the subjects that I’d chosen. But I hadn’t a clue what I wanted to be.
One of the subjects was English Literature but I just couldn’t get my head around Chaucer!
What did you do?
One of my friends told me that where she worked was recruiting. It was British Telecom and they needed drawing office assistants. I went and got a job in the Easter holidays – and never went back to school!
How did that go?
I was really chuffed with myself! I was now earning money and it was great!
But you didn’t stop there?
No, surprisingly, once I was out of school, I got the learning bug! I applied for day release and I started studying telecoms and I absolutely loved it! I was doing really well, but because I was in the drawing office they couldn’t continue to fund it. So it was suggested I shift to engineering. I was loving what I was doing and so agreed!
Engineering? That’s a shift from English Literature A levels!
Yes, and this was a time when women didn’t really do that sort of thing. I went to a course and there was something like 1308 blokes and me!
I was starting to find my feet and find my confidence.
Did the learning bug continue?
Yes, I did a BTEC by day release, then an HNC, and the lifelong learner in me was hooked. I did degree studies with the Open University. At 50 I did a masters!
That’s quite a change. Why do you think that was?
At the tender age of 13,14,15 I didn’t know what I wanted to do, who I wanted to be, I needed to get out into the world and find who I was, so that I could say ‘that’s what I want to learn about. That’s what I want to study, that’s how I want my career to go.’ All of my studies were of my choice.
How did your parents take the change?
They were supportive as they realised A levels weren’t for me. I told them after I’d got the job, so really it was a fait accompli. Afterwards they never said ‘if only you’d gone to university’, they knew that I’d made the right choice for me.
What advice would you give to parents?
Allow your children to take the pathway that suits them. Encourage them to make their own mistakes and learn from them, be their support network. Allow them to get apprenticeships, go to work, whatever allows them to be themselves. ls weren’t for me. I told them after I’d got the job, so really it was a fait accompli. Afterwards they never said ‘if only you’d gone to university’, they knew that I’d made the right choice for me.
From your experiences, what advice would you give young people?
You don’t need to decide right now, as it doesn’t necessarily impact the rest of your life. Give things a go, if it doesn’t work out, move on and try something else out. Hold it all lightly, it really doesn’t need to be life and death.
Find YOU in this world, and be the best version of yourself. Not a second class version of somebody else, or what someone else expects. That will help you have the best life ever!
It doesn’t matter what other people think. What matters is having a growth mindset.
Mindset is the most important thing.
