Owen Clinton was among the second cohort of learners a year after the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) launched its Scholarship programme in 2020.
He was accepted on to the pipefitting pathway in 2021 at Engineering College in Merseyside and has since gone on to complete an apprenticeship with Laker Vent Engineering Limited within the engineering construction industry (ECI).
Five years on from starting out on his journey in the ECI, Owen took time out from his day-to-day duties as a pipefitter to share how being a scholar led to opportunities in industry.
My ECITB Scholarship journey
He said: “When I left school at 16 in 2021, I knew sixth form or similar options weren’t right for me. I wanted to go into something more hands-on like the vocational courses on offer at Engineering College near where I grew up in Birkenhead.
“My first choice was the electrician course but there was no space. My uncle was a welder before his current role and suggested I apply for the two-year pipefitting scholarship instead.”
ECITB Scholarships provide aspiring engineers like Owen with the skills and knowledge they need to start their careers and thrive in industry.
A weekly allowance allows scholars to earn while they learn. On successful completion, they have industry-standard qualifications, relevant site passports and on-site experience.
“The skills I learned have carried over to industry, so the scholarship really benefitted me and helped set me up for the rest of my life.
“Alongside learning skills, it was great having people from different companies coming in and explaining what life is like on a site day to day.
“I’d definitely recommend other people go down the scholarship route like I did if they want something hands-on. It’s a great first step towards a career working in industry.”
Owen Clinton
From ECITB Scholarship to apprenticeship
As well as providing learners with a grounding in the industrial knowledge and skills that are in demand, the Scholarship helps to accelerate scholars into apprenticeships or other forms of employment.
This was the case for Owen. One year into the programme, Owen landed a pipefitting apprentice role with Laker Vent, one of the leading pipework installation contractors in the UK. He completed his scholarship work on day release one day a week over the next six months.
Owen finished his level three engineering construction apprenticeship in May 2026 to become a fully qualified time-served pipefitter. Engineering College acted as his assessor, visiting him on site to make sure he was demonstrating the required skills for each module.
In his first three years in industry, he got to work on sites across a multitude of different ECI sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food and drink when working in a dairy plant.
“Looking back, I’ve got no regrets that I ended up in pipefitting, not electric, especially with pipefitting being so important in industry. I really enjoy seeing everything being built up slowly and then installing it on site,” said Owen.
Pictured: Owen Clinton during his time on the ECITB Scholarship and his apprenticeship with Laker Vent.
Awards boost
Owen’s dedication on the Scholarship programme led to him being shortlisted for Scholar of the Year at the 2023 ECI Training and Development Awards and attending a prestigious ceremony at the Cutty Sark in London.
He was also recognised at Engineering College’s internal awards. He was named its scholar of the year in 2023 and pipefitting apprentice of the year in 2025.
“When I do something, I always want to make sure I do it well,” he said.
“When I first heard about the ECI Awards shortlisting, it didn’t feel real. To be narrowed down to the final four in the country across all the trades was a really proud moment. I didn’t win, but it was still a major achievement.
“Winning or being shortlisted for awards gives you a bit of a boost. It shows that you’ve been recognised for doing your job or course well from people within industry and makes you want to go above and beyond.”
Pictured: Owen Clinton received his 2025 apprentice of the year college award from Plessey Black, ECITB New Entrants Operational Officer.
Valuable support
Owen admits none of his career progress would be possible without the great support he continues to receive.
“You get so much help and information from all around you, whether that be tutors in the college or fully qualified trades people within work,” he added.
“I’d like to thank everyone who’s been there since the beginning. People at the college gave me the start that’s allowed me to be successful.
“Laker Vent gave me the chance to prove myself in industry and helped me to develop into a competent tradesman.
“I was assigned a fully qualified pipefitter called Graham when I first started at Laker Vent. He had a learning plan for me and gave a lot of feedback to let me know I was going in the right direction.
“He has sadly passed away since then. What I learned from him will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
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