Rachel Frieslick is a great example of how apprenticeships are not just for teenagers.
She describes her route to industry as “quite unique”. Originally from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, Rachel did a patisserie course at college before working on the island as a baker.
At the age of 28, Rachel decided to try something different. She started her retraining via an online mechanical engineering college course before spending four years completing a technical apprenticeship programme.
She secured a job with Wood on the Buzzard oil rig in the North Sea and then completed an ECITB regulated qualification in Maintaining Engineering Construction Plant and Systems.
Rachel took time out from working offshore as a mechanical technician to share her retraining story.
Apprenticeship ‘a great foundation’
Rachel moved her life to Falkirk, central Scotland, to join what was previously known as the Oil and Gas Technical Apprenticeships Programme (was OGTAP, now APTUS), managed by the ECITB and OPITO.
She spent two years “living in a hotel with other apprentices from the programme” to complete the practical and theory elements at Forth Valley College.
“I’d never heard of the apprenticeship, but thanks to a girl on my online course telling me about it, here I am today.
“The apprenticeship was a brilliant mix of theory and practical. We spent time in the workshop learning hand-based skills, which was a great foundation.
“The programme helped build that understanding for you to be able to fix something or figure out a problem.
“As someone who didn’t like school, especially maths, I was worried about the theory side as maths is quite important for mechanical technicians.
“But the tutors were brilliant and helped us every step of the way. If you didn’t understand something, they took you to the side and broke it down to teach it in a way that you understood.”
Rachel Frieslick
On-the-job learning
After completing the college-based part of the apprenticeship, Rachel spent the next two years on placement with Wood on a floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel offshore gaining experience.
Rachel added: “They placed me on an FPSO far up on the north-east side of the North Sea, so it was quite a long journey. But it was a great experience.
“I had an assessment pack to work through, which was evidence-based and involved uploading a logbook. On every job, you’re taking a note of the permit, doing a description of what the job is and how it was carried out. Then you get evidence and signatures from technicians you’re working with that witnessed you doing it.
“It’s about making sure you can do the job safely.”
ECITB qualification provided belief
Once Rachel had finished her apprenticeship, she went straight into an SCQF Level 7 Mechanical Diploma in Maintaining Engineering Construction Plant and Systems, one of the ECITB’s regulated qualifications.
This diploma supported Rachel to position, install and adjust mechanical plant and equipment to meet operating requirements.
This involved her logging evidence of competently performing different tasks as a mechanical technician and being assessed by assessors at Forth Valley College.
She said: “Working two weeks on, three weeks off can make it a difficult way to learn, so it was good that I didn’t stop learning after the apprenticeship.
“The way the qualification is structured, writing it all down and talking through the jobs you’ve done with the assessor, helped reinforce what I’ve done and give me confidence that I know how to do this job.
“They do say that if you can’t explain to somebody how to do the job, then do you really know how to do it? I was able to explain to the assessor the steps taken and why it makes sense to do the job that way.”
Never stop learning
Once Rachel completed the diploma to become a fully qualified technician, she took time to “focus on being a tech, as this was the goal at the start” and didn’t go straight into further structured learning.
But with such a varied job, she insists “the learning doesn’t stop”, which will help her in future as she progresses to either more senior tech roles or transferring into speciality areas like decommissioning.
She added: “There’s so much still to learn. Every day you’re doing something different or you’ve got a new piece of equipment to deal with or a new noise it’s making.
“All the learning I’ve done to get here have been great building blocks for my career.
“Apprenticeships are a fantastic route into industry and give you the opportunity to showcase your skills. They also give you contacts along the way. I’ve worked on three different rigs and talked to lots of people. It’s a great way to network and learn.
“People want to teach you what they know, which is far more valuable than anything you’ll get in a textbook.”
Sign up for updates
Your information will be used to subscribe you to our e-newsletter.
For more information, please see our Privacy Notice.