Pearson Engineering Apprenticeships: A First Look

We recently spoke to one of the young people currently enrolled on the Fitter apprenticeship programme, here’s what they had to say.

What inspired you to pursue an apprenticeship in this sector?

When I left secondary school in 2021, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and what career I wanted to be in. I think this was mainly because of the fact we were in a pandemic and I wasn’t in school to get much guidance on what career I wanted to pursue. To make my parents happy, and to follow their stereotype of going to university to get a good job, I went on to do my A-levels in sixth form before realising that this is not what I want to do. I have always been interested in engineering and having a job that’s hands on involving tools, equipment and working on my feet. I knew I didn’t want to go to university to spend another 3-4 years in education without working and earning money and I knew I would rather gain knowledge and experience by working hands on. This is why I wanted to pursue an apprenticeship in engineering because the best way to learn something is by experiencing it yourself and gaining the knowledge by working with people, building up a broad level of skills to be able to use different tools and equipment, and to read drawings of various models and diagrams. Having that experience will make me valuable in the industry.

How has this apprenticeship helped you develop your skills and knowledge?

Since I started my apprenticeship and working at Pearson Engineering, I feel like my skills and knowledge have increased more and more. Before I started, I didn’t know much about tools and following drawings, but since working with various different people on jobs and having that guidance on how to perform certain tasks and learning the outcomes, I know that I am more confident on working on new jobs with different tools and equipment and being more independent. By working with people who can share their knowledge and skills, I am able to gain those skills so that I can be valuable to the workforce and offer my help to the team.

How has the apprenticeship helped you grow personally and professionally?

An apprenticeship teaches you time management and how to take responsibility for your workload by teaching you how to balance work, training, and deadlines. This apprenticeship has helped me to progress professionally because an apprenticeship demands you to maintain organisation, meet deadlines, and work independently. Even though an apprenticeship in engineering is about learning and working with others, there is also a lot of independence that is involved and finding that balance with work, training and education is a crucial part of being a good apprentice.

What do you find most rewarding about doing an apprenticeship?

There are a lot of rewarding factors when doing an apprenticeship, for example, getting paid while you are learning and working and gaining skills and knowledge which will deliver impact for generations to come as well as being hands on and learning from people with lots of experience in this industry. Specialising in skills, being innovative and always evolving and having my contribution recognised is very rewarding. For me the most rewarding part is working on something independently by learning off someone and having that feeling of accomplishment when the job is done right is most rewarding. An example of this is recently when I have been working with someone who used to be an apprentice. He showed me how to follow the model on the computer and use that to assemble a mounting plate, fitting the right hoses in certain areas and using the correct fastenings. By following the drawings step by step and using the knowledge I gained, I was able to carry out the task independently. Once I accomplished the job and it was checked over and correctly completed, I felt that feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing I did it independently.

To learn more about our apprenticeships, please visit our careers page. If you would like to show your interest in our future apprenticeship programmes, please complete the form found at the bottom of our careers page.