With the rising cost of attending university, many people are considering alternative paths in the current climate. Kenneth Thom, a 34-year-old plumber based in Scotland, is one man who is glad he chose not to follow the crowd and signed up work as a plumber for his family's company.
Kenneth is the fourth generation of his family to enter the Barclay Erskine Ltd business, a company based out of Rutherglen. Discussing his work with the Scottish Herald, he said: "I entered the company straight from school. I had been accepted to study politics at Stirling University, but within a few weeks of starting I decided the lure of the family business was more appealing and have never looked back since."
Barclay Erskine Ltd began life in 1862 as Erskine B. Plumber and Gas Fitter. In 1963, Kenneth Thom's grandfather took ownership of the firm, passing it on to his son in turn. The business celebrated 150 years of trading in 2012.
While there have been ups and downs, as with any business, the company is currently doing well, providing employment to nine people, who work to install domestic heating systems and boilers, as well as conducting general plumbing repairs and maintenance works for private householders, as well as local authorities accommodation.
Mr Thom told the paper that, despite the challenges that have occurred over time, he has always found the sense of accomplishment at the end of a job satisfying: "I personally wanted to work in a job where you could physically mark what you had achieved daily in respect of a boiler back working or a new kitchen installed etc."