November 20, 2012, by Fraser

The Apprentice’s Tom: passion for history, love of wine…

Nottingham History graduate Tom Gearing was runner-up in last year’s series of The Apprentice. Despite going into the business world for his career – capitalising on two of his ‘hobbies’, music-listening and wine-drinking – he has no regrets about taking his passion for the past to degree level.

Cheers! Turning a hobby into something more substantial…

If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, then that’s going to help you have the drive and enthusiasm to make it work. In a way, the wine business was turning something from a hobby into something more substantial.

Doing history was a great choice from my perspective. I had a choice when I left school to do economics, business studies or history, when I was doing A levels.

I actually did better in economics than history but the way I chose what to do for my degree was that I prefer doing history – that’s what I enjoy doing.

A flair for history

I happened to be good at economics and maths – but I didn’t love them. History was something I did have an interest in, that I’d always had an interest in and that I had a flair for.

It was a fantastic course and I’m a 100% glad I did it. You could probably draw a parallel between university and my businesses – I’m doing two things which I have a passion for, I’ve kept that up.

My advice is do something you enjoy and that will be more worthwhile than something that you think will get you further in life.

The Apprentice

And, in case you missed it, here’s Tom taking part in the famous wine-tasting task:

Posted in UoN alumni