From 4th-8th March, Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2024 takes centre stage and this year, 'Skills Generation' is the focal point. As avid apprenticeship champions, we recognise that apprenticeships are not just catalysts for individual growth, but fundamental in building a workforce that embodies dynamism, adaptability, and readiness for the challenges of tomorrow.
In celebration of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we chatted to two of our apprentices in Scotland, Jamie Proudfoot and Fraser Dimond who are turning their aspirations into achievements. Hear from Jamie and Fraser as they share their experiences, highlights, and the invaluable skills they've cultivated through the help of their apprenticeship.
Jamie Proudfoot, Building Services Design Technician Apprentice
How is your apprenticeship helping you to build the skills you need to succeed in life and work?
My apprenticeship has helped build my life skills to the next level since I started here at TB+A. Collaboration is crucial in a working environment and through liaising with different members of the project team my communication skills have massively improved. Soaking up knowledge and experiences from more senior engineers has granted me with the opportunity to improve my focus and learning which, I am very grateful for.
What’s been your highlight throughout your apprenticeship journey so far?
My highlight so far has to be the Apprentice Challenge. Working in a team with other apprentices to deliver a presentation in London with a focus on sustainable design was a great experience to build on my presentation and communication skills and helped me to feel more integrated into the wider team.
What would you say to others considering the apprenticeship route?
I highly recommend starting an apprenticeship, for me doing an apprenticeship was a clear choice. The opportunity to gain a recognised qualification while earning a salary and gaining hands on experience with all the added support was a perfect way to kickstart my career after school. With all the new and exciting standards available, there’s never been a better time to start an apprenticeship!
Fraser Dimond, Building Services Design Technician
How is your apprenticeship helping you to build the skills you need to succeed in life and work?
My apprenticeship has helped me better my time management and organisational skills. By working to set deadlines and juggling different projects, it’s helped me to make more informed decisions and prioritise my work load which improves my overall efficiency.
What’s been your highlight throughout your apprenticeship journey so far?
The highlight of my journey so far has been visiting our head office in London to present my group’s Apprentice Challenge presentation. This opportunity allowed me to meet new people across the Partnership that I wouldn’t normally get the chance to and share experiences with other apprentices who have chosen a similar path as me.
What would you say to others considering the apprenticeship route?
Apprenticeships are exceptionally beneficial for those of us who wish to get started working while wanting to expand our knowledge in a specific subject area. The practical side of the apprenticeship cannot be underplayed as being able to take what you learn at either college or university and use it on a day-to-day basis helps both increase your quality of work while helping you to visualise what you are learning.
