Learning new skills as an apprentice

How apprenticeships can be a great steppingstone

Billy’s story …

I never knew what I wanted to do as a job, but I’ve always enjoyed getting stuck in and fixing things, whether that’s a car or a leaky pipe in the bathroom. When I was young my grandad taught me a lot of different skills which I always found interesting, and when one of my friends told me about his first year learning new skills as an apprentice, I thought I should give it a try.

No two days are the same when you’re an apprentice. I’m an Apprentice Mechanical and Electrical Engineer. I go to the workplace every morning, and sign in electronically before going to the Engineering Training classroom. The instructor then tells us what we’re going to be doing for the day, whether that’s practical work or theory.

The practical work involves learning new skills, including working with different machines such as a milling machine, or being taught how to fit pipes. In our pipe fitting module, we get to do some welding, as well as cutting and threading pipes, before pressure testing them. Afterwards, we write up our practical assignments as part of our coursework.

I’ve learnt such an amazing variety of new skills on the apprenticeship and been very well looked after. My manager and mentor have gone to great lengths to help me out whenever I’ve needed it, whether that's to get the right PPE or answering any questions that I have. And the thing about an apprenticeship is that it’s not just about the practical skills you learn, you also learn a lot about yourself.

It's been a big change coming from my old job into this apprenticeship, but it really has prepared me for stepping into the world of work. I’d recommend anyone to do an apprenticeship and benefit from all the opportunities it gives.

Billy

Southern Water Apprentice

Find out more about apprentice opportunities at Southern Water.