At 28, Paige Morgan is already a Train Manager for Transport for London (TFL), leading colleagues who often have decades more experience than she does. Her inspiring story demonstrates how strategic CMI qualifications, combined with a human-centred leadership style, can break down the twin barriers of youth and inexperience - and turn scepticism into respect.

Overcoming age barriers

Stepping into management in her early career, Paige quickly encountered resistance. In her first job after graduating - a customer service management role - reactions to her age were immediate. “When one person found out my age it spread throughout the team like Chinese whispers. They felt I was too young to manage them, it was like they were working against me, rather than with me.”

When Paige addressed the pushback directly, her colleagues were honest about their concerns. “They admitted they were sceptical purely because of my age and my lack of experience. I actually agreed with them, I was new and I didn’t know much at that stage. I stood up for myself, but I was also humble and explained that I was willing to learn from them.”

That willingness to learn from her colleagues’ experiences was the critical bridge that turned resistance into collaboration. When she later secured a CMI Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeship with Transport For London and Pearson College, this open, empathetic approach continued to be her strategy for managing long-serving train drivers. 

Mastering management with CMI

One of the greatest insights she gained on the apprenticeship programme was recognising the fundamental difference between being a manager and being a true leader. "A manager is more focused on results and goals, whereas a leader focuses on how we do things together - how we use everyone’s skills and talents to achieve something special. Leaders tend to be more inspirational. I really try to make it my mission to be a good leader as well as a good manager."

The management and leadership skills that Paige acquired through the programme not only make her more effective at leading her current team, they’ll also give her a competitive edge as her career progresses.

The skills that I developed throughout my apprenticeship, and becoming a member of CMI, will definitely help me stand out when looking for future roles.

Gaining professional recognition

Paige went on to achieve Chartered Manager (CMgr) status through CMI, providing her with professional recognition and giving her formal credibility and robust framework necessary to succeed in a professional environment that initially questioned her.

Becoming a Chartered Manager proves that I know what I’m talking about because I met all the criteria throughout my apprenticeship. It also builds character and resilience.

Why failure is part of leadership 

Her advice to young people facing self-doubt or the struggles of early-career leadership is centered on self-belief and continuous learning: “Be confident, but also do your research. If you’re unsure of a particular topic, lean on other managers because there’ll always be someone you can learn from. Remember that it’s okay to ask questions.”

Paige also stresses the importance of not being afraid to fail. “I used to be very hard on myself when I wasn’t successful, but now I know that it’s inevitable to get things wrong sometimes. If you fail, it just means that you get another chance at succeeding.”

Paige’s journey proves that leadership potential isn’t defined by age or years of service. By completing her CMI apprenticeship with TFL and achieving Chartered Manager status, she successfully transformed industry scepticism into respect - and built a powerful foundation for a thriving, ambitious career.

Watch the full video case study

Hear from Paige about how a CMI apprenticeship developed her early-career confidence and credibility - demonstrating that leadership potential is built by learning, mindset and opportunity.