Meet Sean, a Manufacturing Technical Apprentice
at our Edinburgh site.
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.
