Monday the 7th of February 2022 marks the start of National Apprenticeship Week, an annual event that celebrates and applauds the importance of apprenticeships to employers and individuals across the UK.
Why are apprenticeships important? Apprenticeships help us bridge skill gaps and meet rapidly rising demand. They offer individuals the opportunity to further their career within an industry without incurring thousands of pounds of student debts. As cliché as it sounds, they really are a win-win programme, a career 'level-up', if you will. By providing access to skilled careers, employers can nurture talent from the ground up.
To compete, thrive and grow in an ever-evolving industry, new skills are essential – and a successful Apprenticeship scheme is central to that. At SES, we work alongside North East Scotland College to offer an apprenticeship programme from our Aberdeen-based workshop. An apprenticeship with us means you will get access to our purpose-built facilities and in-house experts.
This year, the theme of National Apprenticeship Week is 'Build the Future' and focuses on the benefits apprenticeships can have on individuals, businesses, and local communities. Here, we proudly shine a light on our own apprentice, Jack Stewart.
Jack joined SES in October 2021 and is embarking on an N/SVQ2 Mechanical engineering and modern apprenticeship SCQF Level 5 through North East Scotland College. Supporting our instrumentation and calibration department, Jack will be serving a four-year apprenticeship, learning vital skills and gaining on the job experience to support his future career prospects.
After leaving school at 16, Jack decided an apprenticeship through college was the path for him. He told us: “I’m really enjoying this opportunity. So far, I’ve been testing gauges, torque wrenches and getting an understanding of how everything works. I hope my apprenticeship will help me become more independent and enhance my skillset. I’m still new to this, but it’s been very interesting so far, and the team's support has been great. I’ll be carrying out forklift training shortly, which I’m looking forward to!”
To find out more about local apprenticeships and their value, please visit: https://www.nescol.ac.uk/students/apprenticeships/modern-apprenticeships/