A woman who left school at 15 with low grades started in a sausage factory, and now she’s in a job that typically pays almost $80,000

Cheryl Stewart, a 39-year-old from Blackridge, Scotland, once thought she was destined to work in a factory for the rest of her life. As reported by LADbible, she has since climbed the career ladder to land a role in clinical research that typically pays around roughly $79,303 per year. Professionals in the field oversee everything from identifying trial sites to ensuring participant data is accurate and reliable, as detailed by Prospects.

Stewart left high school at 15 with what she described as low to average results, finishing with grades four and five. She said, “I don’t work well in an educational setting because my brain works differently.” She added that when she left school, she “could barely write an email.”

That lack of confidence led her to a weekend job at a sausage factory, where she thought she would remain indefinitely. She said she did not feel she had the education or the ability to do anything else.

A temp job in data entry changed everything for her

While continuing to work at the factory and studying photography at college, Stewart moved into a sales administrative role. She was made redundant at 18, then took a temp position in data entry at a medical research company.

Starting at that company on nearly $18,504 a year, Stewart rose through the ranks with on-the-job training. By the time she turned 26, she had become a project manager, a title she has held for the last 13 years.

Today, she manages clinical trials for experimental drugs, a role that requires deep knowledge of regulatory requirements and Good Clinical Practice. While many people enter the field through a life sciences degree or specialized apprenticeship, Stewart learned trial protocols, ethics, and regulatory submissions on the job.

In July, Stewart tried her hand at writing, penning a medical thriller titled Elderidge: Committed alongside two children’s books, Teeny Tommy and the Demon Dog of Tucker Road and Teeny Tommy and the Fringe Festival. She said she was “blown away” by the response to her books.

Stewart’s message to younger people who may be struggling is simple. “School isn’t the end of the story; it’s just the beginning,” she said, adding that she had many pitfalls early on but has grown into a completely different person. Her story surfaced the same week as a former pro’s pitching lesson for a single mom’s son.

She said there is a lot of pressure on kids to do well in school, but it is “not the end of the world” if they struggle.