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The student - Chris Gibson
Chris Gibson was working in a factory when he decided to look in to what jobs would provide him with better long-term career opportunities. After visiting his local careers office, he found out about ECITB Apprenticeships which gave Chris the chance to train for a career, get real hands-on experience and be paid at the same time. Chris made his decision and applied for the Electro-technical Installation programme.
The ECITB Apprenticeship Experience
Chris started his apprenticeship at TTE in Middlesborough, where he spent 18 months learning about the health and safety elements of working onsite and the fundamental skills of the electro-technical installer. “I loved the practical skills training we did,” says Chris. “During my 18 months at college we learned how to recognise common electrical components and cables, how to wire and install equipment, how to use testing instruments and how to rectify faults.”
After completing his off-the-job training at TTE, Chris secured a place for his onsite training with Watson Norrie. Chris comments: “Watson Norrie unfortunately went into administration soon after I started, but the ECITB were brilliant. They organised a new onsite placement at Southern Electric within 6 months, and while they were doing that for me, I was able to complete the CompEx course which will help me get work offshore, something I really want to do in the future. It’s the only nationally recognised qualification in explosive atmosphere installation and inspection and will really give me a head start when moving into this field.
Within 6 months of starting onsite training at Southern Electric, Chris was offered a permanent post – complete with full pay. “I was really pleased to be offered the job,” comments Chris, “because it meant I could earn good money even before I’d finished my apprenticeship. The work I do for them is similar to what I started doing at Watson Norrie, so I know my skills are very transferable. On any given day I could be installing and commissioning electrical systems like heating or air conditioning units, or finding and correcting electrical faults. I know in the future I could use my skills in all sorts of environments, like petro-chemical plants or oil refineries. I really enjoy working in places other people normally never get to see, and with my new skills and qualifications I could achieve my ambition to work offshore, in fact I now have opportunities to work anywhere in the world!”
“I would definitely recommend an ECITB Apprenticeship to anyone looking for a career which pays good money. Not only do you start earning as soon as you start training, but your prospects are brilliant when you finish the course.”
Qualities required
Electro-technical installers need excellent fault-finding skills to prove electrical connections and test equipment. You’ll need to be methodical, organized and capable of working at a highly detailed level, while also identifying how your role fits into the bigger picture of an engineering construction project.
Qualifications required: 5 GCSEs grades A-C
What you could be working on
You will usually be working on a construction site - in all weathers - to assist in the assembly, installation and testing of electrical components. You will work with teams of other skilled people, sometimes in hazardous conditions.
Contacts
- Jim Kinnell
- Head of Apprenticeships Programmes
- Theresa Bisgrove
- Apprenticeships Administrator