I left school in 2006 and was a little unsure of what my future would hold. I had thought about going to college or getting a job. I remembered seeing some information on engineering apprenticeships at a careers event and thought this could be a good way of combining the two. After some research I found one of my local apprenticeship providers was Rolls-Royce North East Training Centre in Newcastle. I completed the application form and within a few days of submitting it I was invited for aptitude tests. Having passed the tests I was then given an interview and then accepted onto the program.
My training started in September ‘06 along with around 100 other apprentices. As we were all new to the training centre it was very easy to make friends, I would look forward to getting into work each morning so I could catch up with my new mates as well as learning new skills.
Once my initial health and safety training had been completed I moved through a range of sections where I was taught how to use a variety of machines as well as CAD software. This gave me a good insight into the world of engineering and helped me to decide what area I would most like to go into.
I was put forward for several interviews with some major north east companies one of which was The Davy Roll Company Limited, Gateshead, where I now work. I will spend the remainder of my apprenticeship here where I will qualify as a multi-skilled machinist and continue my education up to degree level on a day release basis.
The Davy Roll Company even pays my college fees for me. I have no doubt that without enrolling on the Rolls-Royce apprenticeship scheme I would not have had such great opportunities.