College Experience Gives Adrees Career Momentum in Pharmacy
Stoke on Trent College alumnus Muhummad Adrees, known as Adrees, believes his college experience helped him to pursue a career as a Pharmacist.
“I have a lot of respect for the college – I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.”
In his home country of Pakistan, Adrees worked as a radiographer, but after coming to the UK in 2006, he looked to improve his English language skills.
“Learning English allowed me to communicate with different students and helped me to look for a job. The ESOL course at the college was very helpful and useful, and gave me a solid foundation to build on,” Adrees explained.
Adrees completed the Level 1 ESOL course and was encouraged to study English and Maths GCSE’s before he moved onto an Access to HE course in Science, which would allow him to secure a place in University.
During his college studies, Adrees was able to gain employment at Alchemy Dental Practice, where he worked for a year before leaving college.
“While on the Access to HE course, I was guided to apply to university to study a pharmacy degree. After two interviews, I secured a place at Keele University,” he said.
Adrees was inspired to pursue a career in pharmacy after his brother-in-law had previously worked as a pharmacist and told him it was a great career path.
He graduated from Keele University in 2014 and then completed a pre-registration year at Boots pharmacy in Bentilee, where he worked for a year before working as a locum.
Adrees then moved on to Tesco Pharmacy at the Trent Vale branch before joining his brother-in-law’s pharmacy, Derby Street Pharmacy in Stoke, where he worked for seven years.
His career continued to thrive in the pharmaceutical sector, and while working at Derby Street Pharmacy, he was approached by some university friends about starting a business.
“At first, I was hesitant, as they wanted to open a pharmacy in Dudley, but they convinced me and we opened our first pharmacy there, which we still own and operate,” he said.
“Since then, we’ve bought another pharmacy in Burton, and we’re currently in the process of acquiring a third one.”
Adrees has offered advice to entrepreneurially spirited students who may want to own their own business, saying,
“First, learn your trade, and once you truly understand the ins and outs of your field, don’t be afraid to take the leap. There will be challenges and obstacles, but you’ll find a way to overcome them.”
Adrees is now a proud member of the Made at Stoke on Trent College alumni network and is keen to share his experiences with learners.
“Now that I’m in a position to give something back, I’m more than happy to do so,” he concluded.
If you have previously studied at Stoke on Trent College and want to share your experiences, please join the Made at Stoke on Trent College alumni network.
