I joined the NHS straight from school at 16, and spent six months supporting the biomedical scientists in the pathology department.

In his role as a clinical scientist, Richard combines his scientific expertise with excellent people skills. He faces new challenges every day, and it’s this variety and diversity that makes the role so appealing.

For me, this is the perfect mix of working with machines and people. From school I had an NVQ3 in engineering, and I’m now using those skills to help people and make a difference in the community, which I’d always wanted to do.

Having studied Applied Human Biology at university, I already had a scientific background when I joined the NHS. However, I then needed to take a postgraduate certificate to be eligible for the registration exam and assessment, in order to become a biomedical scientist.

Someone once said to me that I’m a very ambitious woman, and looking at my career path on paper you might think so. However, it’s only because of the support and encouragement of the NHS, Royal Hallamshire Hospital and my family that I’ve had the opportunities to get to where I am today.

I joined the NHS at 16 with five GCSEs. My first job was trainee medical technical officer in audiology at St John’s hospital in Chelmsford, where I learnt the basics of how to test people’s hearing and balance and provide adult rehabilitation services, which includes fitting and assessing people with hearing aids.