What is your current role?
My role within the company is a Manufacturing Technical Apprentice. I will be finishing my time as an apprentice in august of this year and I am looking forward to continuing my journey through the company in the MEG (Micro Electronics Department) as a qualified Test Technician.
What did you study at school?
At school, I studied Maths, English, Biology, Physical Education, Craft and Design and Art. I was never fully sure what I wanted to do until I got to my last year of my time at school; I was thinking all the way through I wanted to go to university, but then I heard about the Leonardo apprenticeships available, so I went back and took a crash-course in Higher Physics. This was possibly the best decision I have made, as I have always loved and wanted to work out how things work but never realised that this was the pathway I wanted to venture until the opportunity presented itself. This is how I was able to get the apprenticeship that I wanted within Leonardo.
Why did you choose an apprenticeship at Leonardo?
One of the main reasons I chose this apprenticeship is that I live locally to the company and always wondered what actually went on inside. Also, many of my older friends from school got jobs here and couldn't recommend it highly enough. They talked about the many opportunities within the company, and the pathway for apprentices to further learning and on-the-job experience, which sounded brilliant. I also had a family connection to the site through my Grandad, who started here as an apprentice when it was known as Ferranti. He explained how, even back then, the apprenticeship had set him on a good path for work and development.
What does a typical week look like?
A typical week for me is always changing. There are so many different problems I face each day and week, which makes the role more interesting and keeps me learning. The things I'm working on are for the same product, but I'm always faced with different issues with test equipment or the product itself, which keeps me on my toes.
Now that I'm in my final placement, I'm more heavily relied on to produce the work that's required. I see this as a positive, as there's always work that needs doing, which keeps me busy and learning, adding more to my skillset.
I also have my college day, which is currently every Thursday at Edinburgh College on the Midlothian Campus. This is when I attend my classes and study towards my Higher National Diploma (HND), which I hope to achieve at the end of my apprenticeship. I'm also heavily involved in the STEM community within Leonardo, helping the team with anything I can, and encouraging other apprentices to get involved. It's very rewarding to inspire younger generations about a possible future as an engineer and explain what Leonardo can offer.
Following on from that, I'll be continuing to work with the STEM Team as apprentice STEM lead when I've finished my apprenticeship, helping other apprentices experience and have the chance to participate in the wide range of opportunities that have developed me as a person and engineer.
Do you have a personal highlight so far from your time at Leonardo?
Some of my personal highlights over my four years at Leonardo would firstly have to be the apprentice experience itself. Coming straight from school, there was a big difference having to face the working environment, but I managed to adapt over time, meet new people, interact with different working environments, and gain work-life experience that will benefit me throughout my career.
It's also taught me how to balance workloads and prioritise how I approach tasks, and showed me that you can always ask for help and someone will do their best to assist you.
Besides the apprenticeship, I've had many other opportunities, like playing in charity football tournaments, going for meals with work colleagues, listening to speakers talk about the future of STEM, attending air shows across the UK, going to parliament representing the Edinburgh apprentices, and speaking to Members of Parliament.
These are just some of the many highlights I've been able to be a part of, but they didn't just fall into my lap. I had to put myself out there and get involved with everything and anything I could.
What do you get up to outside of work?
Outside of work, I'm very sporty. I enjoy going to the gym to keep myself fit and healthy. I feel like after a hard day at work, some exercise is good for your body and mind to wind down and relax.
On the other hand, I really enjoy catching up with my friends and family on my days off. Now that I'm on shifts, I only have free weekends every other month, so it's really nice to see everyone when I can.
What are your aspirations for the future?
Some of my aspirations for the future are to develop myself as a person and an engineer. I look forward to progressing my learning, hopefully going on to gain a degree, and then working my way up the framework set up within the company, hopefully becoming a senior test engineer or better.
Would you recommend an apprenticeship, and why?
I would highly recommend an apprenticeship, especially one through Leonardo. The amount of life skills and work skills I've learnt is unbelievable. This is through working on many different products and within different teams on different contracts. This has given me confidence in myself and the work I produce. The apprenticeship also allows you to gain an education while still earning a yearly salary, which is one of the many benefits.
One thing Leonardo offers all apprentices is opportunity. I've found that if you want to be involved in extracurricular activities and show a keen and positive attitude, you can get involved. This creates a bigger network of fellow colleagues for you to ask and learn from. Overall, I would highly recommend apprenticeships, especially at Leonardo.
