richard-branson-profile jobs schoolleavers Virgin Media

You don't have to have a university degree to succeed in life, as shown by the stars of Dragon's Den and one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs, Richard Branson.

Born in 1950, his career started at 16 with Student magazine, launched when he was 16 and still at school. A year later he set up a charity, the Student Advisory Centre.

His talents got him noticed and by the time he was 20 he had been made the subject of a television documentary.

Are you pushing your teenager in the wrong career direction? There could be better alternatives...