The Award was available at my school and was something that I looked forward to taking part in. I was aware of the positive impact that having the Award achievement on my CV would have when applying to universities and for future job applications. My experiences doing my Award helped me stand out in the competitive job market and gave me something to talk about at interviews. While the heavy rucksacks and walking in the rain and mud are the strongest memories of completing my Award, I know that the Award also taught me important skills, that I have applied throughout my personal and professional life, such as the commitment needed to achieve a task you have set yourself.

I didn’t know the Award was international when I took part in it at school, but when I found out later, it gave me a sense of being part of something much bigger to know that I had completed the same four sections as millions of young people across the world.