Pride Month is incredibly important to me, as it is for so many in the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a time to celebrate how beautifully diverse we all are — a time to honour our individuality while standing together in unity and equality. Pride is about respect, visibility, and being unapologetically yourself. It’s also about remembering and learning from the past — from the Stonewall riots to the countless activists who paved the way for the freedoms we have today. Their courage created the space we now occupy, and Pride is our chance to both celebrate and carry their legacy forward. 

But Pride isn’t just a parade or a flag. It’s about those moments when you’re finally able to live your truth — and are supported while doing so. I want to talk about a moment that changed everything for me, thanks to Skills and Education Group. 

When I started my apprenticeship, I wasn’t being my true self. I had already come out in sixth form and was living as my authentic self to friends and some chosen family, but when it came to landing a job or apprenticeship, I felt like I had to hide again. So, I did what so many queer people feel forced to do — I presented a version of myself I thought would be “safer.” I brought my personality to the interview, but I left Zach Bennett at home. 

Fast forward a few weeks into my apprenticeship. I was in a meeting with my mentor when I finally said the words: “I’m actually not a girl.” I was terrified. But within ten minutes, my whole team was in the room, showing nothing but support. They asked how they could help me feel more comfortable. And they meant it. 

From there, everything changed. I was able to update my name on our systems and change my pronouns. HR supported me through it all. I was even given access to different facilities to make me feel more comfortable. It was life changing. 

This is what inclusion looks like. This is how businesses should be. 

And it didn’t stop there. Fast forward to February, I felt another shift in my gender identity. Once again, I sat in the same meeting room. And once again, I came out — with new pronouns, with a better understanding of myself. And guess what? My team showed the same support they had the first time. They listened, they adapted, and they made me feel safe. No awkward questions. No judgment. Just acceptance. 

That trust, that ongoing support, means the world to me. It tells me that no matter how my identity evolves — because gender is fluid, and it’s okay to question and explore — I’ll be met with compassion and respect. That’s something every workplace should offer. 

I felt seen, respected, and, for the first time in a long time, confident. And that confidence didn’t stop at work — it followed me into the rest of my life. I came out to my family. They embraced me, started using my name and pronouns, and respected me for who I am. I stopped hiding — from anyone. 

To Skills and Education Group: thank you. Thank you for empowering me to be myself, not just once, but every time I’ve needed to rediscover who I am. You gave me the space to grow, the support to be honest, and the confidence to live my truth. 

Pride is personal. For me, it’s not just about rainbow flags and celebrations — it’s about the quiet, powerful moments where someone says, “We see you. We support you. Be who you are.” That changes lives. It changed mine. 

Happy Pride.