Get Into Engineering Trades Celebration Day
On Friday 9th December 2022, we hosted our second Get Into Engineering Trades Celebration Day in partnership with Prince’s Trust Scotland. We invited parents and employers along to help the young people celebrate everything they accomplished during their time on the course.
The 7 young people attending the course started their journey with a taster day on Wednesday 26th October 2022. Young people attending the taster day received a brief introduction from Jim Booth, Training Executive at Tullos Training Ltd, about the Get Into Engineering Trades course and what the taster day would entail. Throughout the day, candidates received a tour of Tullos Training Ltd and completed two team building tasks. This included making a plan and building spaghetti and marshmallow towers, and building a LEGO crane.
Following the taster day, the trainees started the course on Monday 31st October 2022 with a two-week block which allowed they to try various types of engineering including welding, pipefitting, hand fitting, electrical engineering, and pneumatics and hydraulics. On completion of the first two weeks, trainees are given the opportunity to complete an SVQ Level 2 Performing Engineering Operations unit in one of their preferred engineering trades.
During the celebration, the young people had the opportunity to speak in front of a small audience of family and friends, potential employers and representatives from Prince’s Trust Scotland about their time on the course and how they feel it has benefitted them. In celebration of the young people completing the Get Into Engineering Trades course, Ross Sutherland of Prince’s Trust Scotland presented the young people with certificates. Six of the young people who attended the course shared their experiences below.
If you would like to be considered for the next programme in March 2023, please contact Ross Sutherland by email, ross.sutherland@princes-trust.org.uk.
My name is Crighton Byres and I am 17 years old. In my spare time I enjoy playing computer games and going out with my friends. This programme was the perfect opportunity for me to learn the basics of engineering before moving onto an apprenticeship in the future. The thing I enjoyed most about the course was the people as everyone was so nice and helpful.
Given the opportunity to do anything differently, I would have taken a bit more time selecting my unit preferences for the final four weeks. I would recommend the programme because for the short time you are on the programme, you learn a lot of useful workshop and life skills.
My name is Lewis Clayton, I am 29 years old and have lived in Aberdeen all of my life. I was attracted to the Get Into Engineering Trades programme because I had an interest in engineering but had been unable to find an apprenticeship due to my age and the programme. Before and during the programme I worked as a service assistant at ASDA. The hands on aspect of the course has allowed me to build skills and knowledge I previously did not have.
The programme is a great way for people to find out if a career in engineering is something that would interest them by giving them a taste of the work involved. Young people joining future courses should be willing to try all of the activities as you never know what may take your interest. Through the programme I had the opportunity to interview at a company with the potential of an apprenticeship in the future. My goals for the future are to find a fulfilling job that allows me a to further my career.
My name is Jack Molina and in my spare time I enjoy kick boxing and going to the gym. I was interested in joining the Prince’s Trust programme because it gave me the opportunity to be part of something bigger than me and push myself to reach my full potential. The chance to learn something completely new to me is what I enjoyed most about the programme.
I would recommend the programme to people who are interested in engineering as it is an opportunity to do something new and it is a good environment to study in. Now that the programme is finished I am hoping to find a job or apprenticeship.
My name is Ryan and I am 18 years old. Before starting the Prince’s Trust programme I was doing a Barnardos programme which helped me prepare for job interviews and working life through volunteering. Get Into Engineering Trades interested me because it sounded like it would benefit me by letting me gain knowledge in the career I would like to do as I would like to become a Gas & Heating Engineer.
I believe that the programme would benefit anyone interested in engineering as it teaches the necessary skills and knowledge for working in a workshop. Tullos Training will also help you find an apprenticeship if you work hard.
My name is Alfie Stuart. I’m 16 years old and I live in Aberdeen. The Prince’s Trust Get Into Engineering Trades programme interested me because it sounded fun and my older brother is an Engineer and I would like to follow in his footsteps. The thing I enjoyed most about the programme was finding out that I am good at welding. I would have liked the course to be longer but I am going to be doing work experience at IPS as a welder and hope to progress to an apprenticeship.
I would recommend the course to other who are interested in engineering because it has helped me build my confidence. The advice I would give to someone considering joining the programme would be to turn up on time, take part in the tasks, do your best and enjoy what you’re doing.
