Ahead of GCSE results day tomorrow, many teenagers will be really nervous. As all of you have been there and done that, what's your advice to those getting their results tomorrow and what would you say to those who don't get the results they wanted (as many will be feeling low)? It's also never been harder to decide whether to start a career and get a job or do A-levels and carry on into University, which can mean you start your career with a mountain of debt when you do land a job. If you were whisked back in time and getting your GCSE results tomorrow, would you opt for a job over further education and a sizeable amount of debt?

GCSE day: what would you tell your 16-year old self?

To my 16-year-old self, Don't panic about your GCSE results. Honestly, the world you're about to enter is completely different from what the education system prepared you for. All those facts and figures you crammed? AI will handle that. The real skills you need for the future are critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence. You'll learn those through life, not necessarily in a classroom. So, whatever your grades are, they don't define your worth or your potential. You've got this.

Mitali Deypurkaystha is Chief Marketing Officer at AISensa, a governed AI platform built for regulated professional services firms — including law firms and accountancy practices. AISensa exists to help organisations get AI adoption right: giving employees clear, governed guidance so they're never left exposed or scapegoated when something goes wrong, while giving owners, partners and founders the audit trail and evidence base they need to demonstrate compliance to regulators and professional bodies. It turns AI policy from a document nobody reads into something built into the way people actually work. Mitali leads AISensa's positioning and go-to-market, ensuring this message lands credibly with a market that's understandably sceptical of governance platforms claiming to be "human-friendly." She is Chair of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses and co-founder of the Human-First Responsible AI Pledge, a framework calling on business leaders to adopt AI ethically, commercially, and with people at its centre.

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Mitali Deypurkaystha

If I could go back, I would skip the academic route entirely and get straight into property or trades. A qualified electrician earns more than most graduates and never faces redundancy. An apprentice property developer learns real skills that compound over decades, not theoretical knowledge that becomes obsolete before graduation. The harsh truth is that university has become a consumption product masquerading as an investment, enriching institutions while impoverishing students.

With interests across residential housing, spirits, international exports, industrial goods and real estate development, I lead the executive function of The Kushman Group. We are originally professional landlords based in Kent but are now expanding our footprint globally as international exporters and importers aside from international property development and asset management. We proudly own up the often pejoratively thrown term "greedy landlord" as a badge of honour. My team and I work day and night to deliver outstanding housing and value for the communities we serve. We are also taking Britain and British goods to the world.

Kundan Bhaduri

didn’t get the GCSEs you wanted? here’s the straightforward play: education and exams are just signals—and pretty dated ones. with AI, knowledge isn’t the barrier anymore; execution is. experience is everything. get it however you can: internships, volunteering, part-time roles, freelancing, side projects. if you have to, work as an intern for free for a bit—show up, add value, and make yourself useful to people who could hire you. don’t obsess over salary or “fairness” at the start. stack experiences that prove you can deliver. real results on your CV are worth more than any qualification. if you’re good and keep showing it, it almost always leads to a job.

Founded by Dan Gable 

Dan has worked on hundreds of TV programmes including some groundbreaking shows such as The Word, The Brit Awards, Big Brother and Top Gear.

He has shot and directed many corporate and music videos and has been on the board of various media companies including Air Studios. Dan is also a qualified Master NLP Practitioner, Hypnotherapist and Counsellor and is a well known figure in the television industry. 

Dan brings both his filmmaking and business experience to corporate video production. He can very quickly get to grips with brand values and is an expert in video marketing.
Dan writes monthly articles for Elite Franchise and Elite Business and hosts a weekly video podcast on everything marketing and personal development.


Dan Gable

I’d tell my 16-year-old self not to let someone else’s disappointment in your results overshadow your pride. Internal validation will carry you much further than external approval ever could.

Dr Marianne Trent is a specialist in trauma and grief. She approaches everything with compassion and professionalism. She has vast experience from a great range of different areas including adult mental health, child mental health, eating disorders, intellectual disability and more. She is the author of The Clinical Psychologist Collective, The Grief Collective & Host of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast. She has appeared on television and radio. 


Dr Marianne Trent

I was part of the new year of GCSE results.  We worried the grades wouldn't be relevant in the future.  Now the system has changed and yes, it is less relevant. However, the skills learned are still useful and, even more so, is how they have been used since and how they are useful to others.  However your grades look today and how you choose to use them in the future, the most important thing is how your experience is relevant in your life and how what you do helps to define you.  That is the most important thing you will look back on in 5, 10, 15 and 20 years, far more than numbers or letters next to subjects.  All the best.

Creating gemstone based jewellery and gifts in different ways to help hold old memories and create new memories

GCSE day: what would you tell your 16-year old self?

5 responses from the Newspage community
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Mitali Deypurkaystha

AI Governance Strategist & CMO at AISensa

Kundan Bhaduri

Entrepreneur, Investor and Landlord at The Kushman Group

Dan Gable

Founder at ShoutOut

Dr Marianne Trent

Clinical Psychologist at Good Thinking Psychology

Fiona Jones

owner of Sunago Unique Creations at Fiona Jones

5 responses from the Newspage communityCopy all

5 responses from the Newspage community
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