The race was on to find an employer prepared to take me on mid-way through my engineering apprenticeship

The benefit of an #apprenticeship in the words of an #engineer

My arrival into JDR Cable’s apprenticeship scheme was a little unorthodox; I was part way through a mechanical engineering apprenticeship elsewhere when the firm I was working for went out of business.

The race was on to find an employer that was prepared to take me on mid-way through.

Not only did I find that at JDR, but I also found a place where I would be exposed to a bespoke way of doing things.

Holistic approach to learning

JDR designs, engineers and manufactures subsea power cables and umbilicals for the offshore energy industry. It provides a range of services to both offshore renewable and oil and gas projects on a global scale. Everything we do here is customised to each project, and our machinery is state-of-the-art. But what that also means is that for the company to operate at maximum efficiency, each team member needs to have a well-rounded understanding of our in-house capabilities.

To that end, as part of my apprenticeship I rotated through all the departments and spent roughly two months in each – from the shop floor through production, maintenance, testing, and then into office through tendering, project management and design. This holistic approach to learning made a huge difference to me, not only in terms of my education, but also by helping me understand which functions I enjoy working in. This came as a surprise to me because much of my background was in maintenance engineering and I thought that I’d continue with it, but during my rotation I realised my love for design engineering. The exposure to different departments has ultimately shaped my career for the better, allowing me to pursue a role that I thoroughly enjoy by illuminating where I fit.

Misconceptions around the different types of engineering

One of the challenges faced when recruiting apprentice engineers is that there is still a level of misconception around the different types of engineering. We need to do more to educate potential apprentices that engineering also includes design, estimating or testing. There’s a whole world of engineering roles across different functions and an apprenticeship will let you explore lots of different options. It is also means that if you end up not being particularly good at one thing, or not enjoy it, you’ll likely be able to change without leaving the scheme or the employer. Ultimately, if you can bring value to the company, they will usually try to find something that suits you.

The other benefit of the holistic approach is that it tends to produce apprentices that are more well-rounded long-term employees for the business. Every apprentice will have a level of understanding about each part of the business and can work this knowledge into their own role. As an example, when I design something, I will also consider how we’d test and ultimately manufacture that design based on our shop floor capabilities. And, because I’ve worked in those departments, I have great working relationships with those colleagues which makes it easier to collaborate and problem solve.

Apprentices are a long-term investment

At JDR, as I expect it is at many employers, apprentices are a long-term investment. That’s partly why I am still here six years later, because once you’ve finished your apprenticeship, you’ll go on to map a new way to progress your career. For me, that meant progressing all the way through from level 3 to level 5 of a mechanical engineering HND, and now I attend university on allocated days to study for a degree. JDR have supported me every step of the way.

Equally, some apprentices go on to work elsewhere in the industry, and this is just as beneficial. The wind industry is in a race to treble its highly skilled workforce, so attracting and retaining bright and enthusiastic apprentices to the sector is imperative to our success.

If there’s one thing I’d tell someone looking at an apprenticeship is that it is often the best of both worlds. You get the same level of education as you would at college or university but are exposed to far more hands-on experience and gain a grasp of the commercial world. And you earn while you learn! There are really no downsides.

Aaron Ellis, Cost Estimating Lead, JDR Cables