Having left school at 16 and briefly tried out being a mechanic, a bin man and working in a cafe, Phil Neesam decided to follow his childhood ambition of being a hairdresser. For the past year he's been working at a fashionable salon in Shoreham and is doing an Advanced Apprenticeship in Hairdressing.

How did you find out about Apprenticeships?

I saw some adverts in the local paper for Apprentice hairdressers and that seemed a really good way of getting into the trade.

Why did you choose to work at Bruno's?

I went to look at a few salons and Bruno's was the one where I felt I'd fit in - I liked the younger clientele and the relaxed, atmosphere. Gary Broun, the owner, is a great businessman and I felt I could learn loads from him.

What do you do at work?

At first my responsibility was minimal but now I'm allowed my own clients. Gary's been very good at letting me be 'hands-on' and I've learnt a lot about dealing with people on the phone and how best to relate to clients while I'm doing their hair.

How about your training?

Once a week I go to NVQs.com training academy in Worthing - in the morning we focus on the practical side of things and the afternoon is all about theory. Included in my training are NVQ levels 2 and 3 plus the key skills part of the course.

Why is a Apprenticeship right for you?

It's the ideal way to learn a skill and get a qualification. I've matured a lot since I've been working at Bruno's and it's really made me want to be professional. Doing the Apprenticeship has shown me I can achieve that and I'm now ambitious and keen to get on in hairdressing.