Alyn Vaughn, blew me away!

Whilst shopping in a cute area of Nashville on 12rh South Avenue my friends and I came across a cool pop-up  on the edge of the street.  They were selling jewelry which was unique and very cool, but there was also an inspiring  story behind it.  

The booth  was hosted by Nancy, the co-founder of  Alynvaughn.com and a young student from a local school.  The student spoke to us with a confidence you would expect from someone much older and  provided details about the jewelry explaining  the way in which it was made,  how it could be worn and the different  options available as far as geode and vegan suede colors.  The student completed the sale from start to finish, assisting numerous customers simultaneously. We  quickly realized that this was not just a hobby but much more,  a REAL LIFE TOOL for students of all ages.  

Nancy saw a need and reacted using her experience to provide practical on-the-job training to all ages, which developed into a viable alternative to college.

This begs the question…why did apprenticeships that teach real hands on business go away?  

When I was a child growing up in the UK, apprenticeships were an invaluable option not only for students but also to industries that valued life skills and the ability of being able to teach and develop young creative minds straight out of school.   This is a lost or rather forgotten resource, and companies are missing out on some very smart talented people due to the mindset  and company policies that you have to have a degree to even get through the door.