Michelle is 29 and originally from South Africa. Before grooming, she studied television broadcasting and worked for Sky for five years. After having her son, long 12-hour shifts no longer felt sustainable.

“I didn’t want to work those hours and not see my family.”

She’d always loved dogs, and eventually she decided to act on it.

“I just thought, why not?”

Training needed to fit around nursery hours, and she quickly found a routine that worked. She could drop her son off, attend training, then head home to work on coursework before picking him up again.

“It fitted perfectly around family life.”

In the early stages, everything felt new and slightly overwhelming, but she settled into it gradually. As the weeks went on, she began to notice things coming more naturally – especially when she found herself helping other students without overthinking it.

“Near the end, I was helping another student and it just came naturally. I realised, I’ve got it.”

That moment gave her reassurance that she wasn’t just following steps anymore – she understood what she was doing.

Finishing her practical training brought mixed emotions.

“It’s emotional but amazing – learning a whole new skill and realising I can actually do it.”

She enjoys grooming Yorkshire Terriers, even though she admits they aren’t the easiest, and she loves working on cockapoos because of the visible transformation.

Looking ahead, she’s applied for salon roles and hopes to work as part of a team so she can keep learning and building experience.

For Michelle, this change has been about creating a life that works better for her family – and proving to herself that starting again is possible.

“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”