Apprenticeship success stories
Alex Culverhouse
Electrotechnical Apprenticeship
Alex had always wanted to be an apprentice – he liked the idea of getting paid while he learnt! Now he is getting ready to represent the region in a nationally-acclaimed vocational skills competition.
“I had to start out on the full-time Level 2 programme first before I could progress on to the Apprenticeship. By the time I began my Apprenticeship I had learnt basic electrician skills but I wanted to learn more. The industry is constantly changing and there are always new rules and regulations so I knew that learning on the job was the best way for me to put my skills straight into practice. I have always been good at maths and physics too and you have to be good at numbers in this line of work.”
“I had a day release at college where we learnt things like wiring, installation and the important Health & Safety aspects. The rest of the time I worked as an electrician at Northampton Electrical Services. My assessor would visit me in the workplace to carry out assessments and discuss my assignments.”
“It was my tutor that suggested I enter the national WorldSkills UK competition where I would compete against other trainee electricians. That was quite nerve-wracking but I came second in my heats so I will be representing the Midlands in the live UK finals.”
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Samatha Walters
Hairdressing Advanced Apprenticeship
Samantha wanted to pursue a travel career when she first left school but soon realised she had a talent for hairdressing. Since enrolling on the Advanced Apprenticeship she has worked enthusiastically all the way up to Senior Designer at Outcast Hair Studio in Northampton – not once regretting her decision to switch careers.
‘It’s not possible to work in a salon as a stylist without an NVQ qualification so I needed to complete an Apprenticeship to get on in my career. I think they are a great way to learn and you get paid which is even better.’
She says the skills she was taught have been invaluable.
‘The teaching at college is really good and I particularly enjoyed being able to practice what I’d learnt in the classroom almost instantly at work – you haven’t got time to forget anything. We covered basic hairdressing techniques like shampooing, conditioning, cutting, colouring and perming. Client care is also a big part of the course. I enjoyed it all and use everything I have learnt on a daily basis.’
Competing in countless national competitions and working alongside world renowned hairdresser Paul Mitchell, Samantha has enormous fun in her job and has proved herself as an important part of the salon.
‘I love my job and I loved college. The tutors encourage you to take part in competitions as part of the course. One of the competitions I entered during my training was WorldSkills UK. I was one of 15 stylists to get through to the Advanced Hairdressing finals so that was an amazing achievement.’
Now she has completed her Apprenticeship Samantha will continue working at Outcast. ‘Who knows where I will end up in the future – for now I just love doing what I am doing working for a company that appreciates me.’
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Lynnette Marsden
Level 2 Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology
Being the only girl on the Level 2 Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology didn’t faze Lynnette – knowing very little about the subject was to be more of a challenge!
‘Learning skills on the job and getting paid was much more appealing to me then going to university. I’d previously completed a music technology course and electronics seemed like a similar subject so I decided to enrol onto the Level 2 course before moving onto the full Apprenticeship programme. Starting from scratch was a challenge but the lecturers at the College are brilliant. There was lots to take in but I didn’t mind doing extra study to pass my exams.’
Lynnette has just completed her Advanced Apprenticeship at KAB Seating as a Maintenance Electrician. ‘If any of the factory machines break down it’s my responsibility to find the fault and fix them. There’s also a small amount of electrical installation and project work involved too so I never know what I’ll be doing from day to day. The variety is one of the best things about my job and the practical skills and theory I learnt on my Apprenticeship really helps.’