Loui's story

When Loui was in Year 10 at a school on the east side of Hull he won a Dragons' Den-style competition run by The Apprentice runner-up, Ruth Badger.

“I used the prize money to set up my own business selling sporting merchandise,” says the keen rugby league fan, who now works for PwC in audit.

Maths, business, accountancy and computing were his passions at school, but that meant an 80-minute round trip commute to study at a Sixth Form College on the other side of the city.

While at college, a work placement with EY saw him bag another prize: Student of the Year and the offer of an apprenticeship in audit, which created a dilemma. “It was great getting the EY offer but I didn’t know at the time whether it was for me, as I would be tied to a contract for five years,” says Loui.

Around the same time he was invited to take part in the Next Step York programme. Until then York had not been on his radar. The residential stay on campus changed that; just as it changed his life. “I fell in love with the place. I knew York was where I wanted to go and where I wanted to study.”

Conversations with one of the student ambassadors who was studying accounting at the time – the course Loui was interested in – gave him invaluable insights into what to expect and how to prepare, more than any lecturer had done.

Being a numbers person rather than a wordsmith, he learned that he would have to hone his essay-writing skills – “referencing was a nightmare” – if he was to make the most of the course. By the time term started, he was ahead of the game, advising others on how best to plot an essay thanks to the “massively helpful” insights from the student ambassador.

His four-year sandwich course involved a placement with PwC who liked him so much they offered him a full-time position for when he completed his studies.

But he maintains close links with the University and acts as an ambassador. “Next Step York taught me so much and made me better prepared. If someone could do that for me, that is something I can do for others,” Loui added.

While loving life at PwC, there is still an entrepreneur inside Loui bursting to get out. “I really like the idea of running a business myself, of being my own boss, making my own decisions. But first I need to build the qualifications and skills that will enable me to do bigger and better things.”