To recognise the Government’s Year of Engineering initiative to ‘inspire future engineers’, EEF is profiling some of the hundreds of engineering apprentices we train annually at our Aston Technology Hub. Here we profile Daniel Robinson, an ICA apprentice technician at Severn Trent Water, about his experience at the WorldSkills UK National Competition (where he and his partner won Silver!) and why he’s glad he chose an apprenticeship in engineering.
What was it like at the Skills competition?
It was an intense two-and-a-half days with three different sections we had to complete: panel building and wiring, programming inverter drives and the instrumentation on a water rig.
We spent several months of training, getting lots of good training from our EEF tutor, so we were very focused on what we were doing at the WorldSkills show.
That said it was also a lot of fun! We had 2 teams competing from Severn Trent and EEF and we all got on really well. It was a great experience and having the support from your peers showed how teamwork gets the best out of people.
What was it like to win Silver?
We didn’t expect it so it was quite a surprise! We’d worked really hard but there were lots of other great teams competing so I was chuffed that we were placed, and really pleased for my fellow EEF team who got gold.....we came and conquered!
The Government’s Year of Engineering is looking to ‘inspire future engineers’. What would you say to inspire young people to consider a career in engineering?
Engineering is a dynamic and varied career. It appealed to me because I enjoy the process of solving problems and finding solutions; I also like working with my hands and I don’t like sitting in an office all day. You work alongside people with a similar mindset and teamwork is key for engineering to be successful.
Getting into an engineering apprenticeship at a young age is a fantastic prospect. You earn a wage while you are learning and you are giving yourself a great opportunity for a job at the end. I came into my engineering apprenticeship a little later in life at the age of 33 so while it’s good to start young, it’s also worth thinking about for a career change for those of us who are a little more mature!
What was it like to win the First Year Apprentice Award at the EEF ceremony last year?
I was very surprised. It was a nice evening and felt good to be recognised. All the hard work over the first year felt worthwhile. It has inspired me to keep working hard as people do appreciate it and you will reap the rewards.
To find out more about apprenticeships, visit EEF’s Technology Hub during our next Open Day.