We’re celebrating one of our outstanding degree apprentices, George who recently won the IMECHE Apprentice of the Year Award! We caught up with him to find out more about this impressive award. George was invited to London for the awards ceremony, complete with welcome drinks, afternoon tea and a networking event. “Getting this award was an absolute honour, especially as engineering is such a team based endeavour. Individual awards are few and far between, so it’s a fantastic feeling to be accoladed by this esteemed professional body. I now have the award on my wall and it helps drive me when things at work get tough.”
We found out more about George’s time as a degree apprentice: “The first year of my degree apprenticeship was carried out full time at UCW at the South West Skills Campus. This was the initial academic university study that the MOD, Airbus and Roll-Royce require before taking on a role within the company. Once that first year is completed, including all the practical and academic exams with passing marks. I then moved into the business carrying out 6 monthly placements in the work I was interested in. I have been in Certification, Safety and Technology & Innovation with industry, whilst going to university one day a week. The academic learning is perfect to apply into my day-to-day work. This has been life changing experience for the better. I am a completely different person from who I was at the start of this apprenticeship, I would recommend it to anyone at any age in any walk of life!”
“My proudest moment is my STEM outreach with young students, parents and carers. Telling them about my journey from an apprentice in the RAF, to a degree apprenticeship in the MOD. It makes me proud, as I believe I have helped young students to feel empowered and hopeful in their future.”
“In the workplace, I am much more confident and proactive in my problem solving ability. I have also developed my speaking skills, to get my ideas across or speak to large groups of people. I believe the volunteering time provided by the MOD has helped me to get out of my comfort zone and carry out interesting continual personal development.”
This degree apprenticeship forms part of the Engineering and Construction Careers Excellence Hub; is committed to preparing learners for success in a rapidly evolving job market which is reflected in our offer via our bespoke Career Excellence Hubs, which form an integral part of all college programmes. In a world where professional networks and industry-specific skills are integral to landing employment, these hubs provide a unique solution to bridge the gap between education and industry demands.
A huge congratulations to George for winning the impressive award, and for all of his hard work on his degree apprenticeship! If you want to find out more about engineering degree apprenticeships at UCW, click here!
If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available in the Weston College Group here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College Group has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College Group is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.
