‘Overall, apprenticeships can give you a really good grounding toallow you to put into practice what you are learning and then give you the opportunity to take your skills further and progress’.
Apprenticeships can lead to various different opportunities: for me it started back in 2012. After leaving college having studied engineering, I knew that was the career path I wanted to take.
Applying for various apprenticeships I was offered one with a company called VG Scienta, to be an electrical apprentice, who make vacuum systems for research and manufacturing facilities. The training was run by SIGTA with frequent reviews and while working I spent time in various departments from R&D, testing, as well as design while studying at college. This allowed me to put into practice what I was learning in the practical and design tasks I was given.
Once the required learning for my apprenticeship was complete, with recommendations from SIGTA, I progressed on to complete a HND and following on from that started studying for a degree in Electronic Systems through a university distance learning programme, all while working so continuing the similar style of an apprenticeship. I found this extremely useful, allowing me to see what I was learning in a real world sense.
Things changed and I moved on to Pyroban Ltd, who design and implement conversions for forklift trucks that work in explosive environments, which can be anywhere from oil rigs to pharmaceutical plants. I joined as part of the engineering team and completed the last part of my degree. I am now designing solutions for complete conversions of forklifts trucks using both my previous experience of electrical systems and also aspects I learnt on my higher education relating to the electronics.
Overall apprenticeships can give you a really good grounding to allow to you to put into practice what you are learning and then give you the opportunities to take your skills further and progress. This was the biggest attraction for me to an apprenticeship. I didn’t envisage I would be able to progress in the way that I have. However I am grateful for the support from both SIGTA and the companies I have worked for in getting to the position I am at now, as it is extremely interesting work but also allows me to use what I have learnt to complete my role.
SIGTA supported me through my apprenticeship with their organisation, frequent reviews, guidance and general support to complete everything. Once I had completed the core part of my apprenticeship, they were extremely valuable in discussing my options going forward and encouraged me to progress onwards.
Matt Stace