Ghengis has it right, try and do the 'A' Levels and defer the apprenticeship. You won't need them now but they might come in handy years later and they never wear out.
Take no notice of the whingers, engineering calls for practical, pragmatic people, the sort who get on with it and don't whinge. Whatever you do end up doing, as long as its what you really want and you enjoy it - that's what counts. I haven't got rich but I've loved every minute of it and would do it all again, regardless.
Good Luck!
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Through difficulties to the cinema