ROUTES INTO WORK
LEWIS CAMERON, 24
CLARKSON EVANS, ELECTRICAL APPRENTICE
On becoming an apprentice
Apprenticeships have always sparked
my interest. I like the thought of
being paid to learn and work at
the same time, rather than taking
out a student loan for university. I
decided to become an apprentice
because I wanted a career with
long-term prospects.
I decided to pursue a career in
the electrical industry because the
trade requires you to use your head
as well as your hands. I’m now two
years into my Level 3 NVQ Diploma
in Installing Electrotechnical Systems
and Equipment, which consists of
theory and practical training.
I spend four days a week on
new-build housing sites working
under the supervision of my team
leader, and one day a week learning
the theoretical side of the trade in
Clarkson Evans’ in-house
training centre.
On advice from schools
I had the potential to go to university,
but I wasn’t sure if it was right for me.
When I was at school,
I was given the opportunity to hear
from an apprenticeship organisation
who talked about the advantages as
opposed to going to university.
I think this information was vital to
helping me realise that there
are other ways of building a
long-term successful career without
a university degree.
On the benefits of apprenticeships
Don’t view an apprenticeship as a
lower alternative to going to university,
an apprenticeship can open just as
many doors as a university degree.
In fact, I work alongside graduates
who are now apprentices after
deciding to retrain as electricians after
realising their earning potential would
be much higher once qualified.
“There’s no
better feeling
than learning
something,
putting it into
practice and
getting it right”
You don’t have to make any
definite choices at a young age,
you can always change careers
later in life if there’s something
you’d rather do. Do what makes you
happy and never close the door on
an opportunity.
On skills acquired
I have learned many skills during
my apprenticeship, not only
practical skills but life skills too,
such as communication and team
work. An apprenticeship helps you
to learn on the job and not just from
a book.
I appreciate the confidence my
apprenticeship has given me. There’s
no better feeling than learning
something, putting it into practice
and getting it right. When I first
started I didn’t know anything and
now I can confidently wire a house.
ABOUT CITY & GUILDS
university places are sold on
the job opportunities that can
be attained from having a
university degree.
It is now the school’s
responsibility to provide more
information on apprenticeships.
The way apprenticeships are
advertised hasn’t really changed
in the last few years and this
doesn’t do justice to the
i m p ro v e m e n t i n q u a l i t y
compared to five years ago.
On skills acquired
I have become a much more
independent person, having to
commute back and forth from
Kent to Central London and
having roles in work that
contribute directly to certain parts
of the business. As obvious as it
sounds, I have gone from
answering questions largely
based around made-up scenarios
in school exams, to being involved
in projects at City & Guilds that
contribute to achieving our
business objectives.
I have always been driven
by seeing direct results in the
work I’m doing and in school I
could never really focus on the
seemingly never-ending series
of exams.
At work I can concentrate
on specific goals and
tasks where I can see more
tangible and quantifiable
benefits to the work I am
doing. I understand that each
individual is motivated by
something different and has
their own learning style but
for me personally, choosing
to do an apprenticeship is
a choice that has benefited
me a great deal.
TRU
E
RY
City & Guilds is the leading skills development
organisation, providing services to training providers,
employers and trainees across a variety of sectors
to meet the needs of today’s workplace. It is
part of the City & Guilds Group, comprising
City & Guilds, ILM, Kineo, The Oxford Group,
Digitalme and Gen2. cityandguilds.com
FUTURE TALENT // 39