Matt Paul
Maintenance Engineer | Greencore Food To Go
After several years at work without really challenging myself, I thought it was time for me to learn a new skill, one that would challenge me on a daily basis. Around the same time, a re-structure was taking place in the business and my position as a member of the management team was no longer required within the business, so it gave me the opportunity to think about the next steps for myself.
Whilst I was contemplating my options of perhaps leaving the company and pursuing a completely new career, an opportunity came up within engineering, for an Apprentice. This was the perfect challenge and change of job that I was looking for.
I felt the Apprenticeship option was the right one for me as I was able to learn, develop good workplace skills, become a qualified engineer, gain valuable qualifications and be able to do a job that was challenging every day. I saw it as the entry route to a very rewarding career without leaving the organisation.
Undertaking the Apprenticeship was hard to begin with as I was returning to learning. I had to learn new and unfamiliar things and the work was challenging because it was something I had not done before. I gradually became a semi-skilled engineer and after completing my Advanced Apprenticeship at Level 3, I am not fully qualified. It has been worth it because the financial rewards and the understanding I have gained are invaluable for my future.
The Apprenticeship has really helped me a lot. It has given me a challenging career in a sector that I have always wanted to be in.
My Apprenticeship and engineering as a career, have helped me to develop skills and knowledge, which bring daily benefits. I have gained more new qualifications and feel it has developed me personally too. I am more determined to succeed now having achieved my Apprenticeship because it was a lot of hard work and many hours of study. I am always willing to learn new things and it has given me the motivation to succeed as I know the rewards on every level are worth it.
In the future I would like to gain further promotion to a management role. Since finishing my Apprenticeship I have been offered more qualifications, but I feel like I have enough options with my new career and would like to continue to develop my onsite skills further using my current knowledge. I am confident that I will continue with more qualifications in the future for my work at a higher level.
When I am not working, I enjoy playing football, fishing, going for long walks with my partner and dog as well as enjoying quality time with my friends and family. I am very happy with the journey my Apprenticeship has taken me on far and I’m sure that the journey has only just begun.
I would certainly recommend applying for an Apprenticeship to anyone who is interested in getting into the world of work. Engineering for me, is a great career, so I would certainly say to all young people, come along and find out what it is all about.