Peter – Electrical Installation Apprentice
Knowsley Community College Apprentice, Peter, successfully secured full-time employment through his apprenticeship with Heywood Electrical.
Peter, 22 from Huyton, completed his GCSEs at The Prescot School, before progressing onto the level 3 Extended Diploma in Music with KCC to fulfil his ambition of studying Music at University.
He applied to study at University and secured a conditional offer to study at SAE Institute in Liverpool. However, during his last few months on the course, Peter realised how much of the degree would be dedicated to academic studies and not just practical work.
He said, “I really enjoyed the Music course especially the hands on practical side of it. During our last few months on the course a lot of the modules were very academic and I knew that I didn’t want to study this way at university.”
Despite his love for music, Peter decided against going to University and reviewed his options. Peter quickly realised how an apprenticeship would be the perfect option for him as he would learn a valuable trade and also earn a steady wage.
Whilst looking for his desired apprenticeship, Peter enrolled onto the level 2 Electrical Installation course at KCC to develop his skills and knowledge.
Talking about the process in gaining his apprenticeship, Peter said, “It took me a while to find the right apprenticeship, I searched for months and had a lot of setbacks but I didn’t give up. With the support of my tutor, coupled with my persistence, I secured an apprenticeship with Heywood Electrical.”
“My tutor Mal supported me throughout the whole process and helped me in my search. He even secured me work experience throughout my level 2 course to help me improve my chances of securing an apprenticeship.”
Peter took up the role of Electrical Installation Apprentice at Heywood Electrical in May 2015 and joined a team of 25 electricians, completing both commercial and industrial jobs around the Liverpool City Region.
Speaking about his role as an apprentice, Peter said, “Each morning we meet at the office in Kirkby to collect our jobs for that day, this can vary from 2-6 jobs a day or we could be working on a bigger project on a building site which could be months long.”
He added, “I enjoyed my role as an apprentice and it allowed me to overcome new challenges each day and work alongside experienced electricians who I could learn so much from. I have gained a lot of independence from working on my own and learnt how to manage my time more effectively”.
A highlight for Peter came when he was given the responsibility of having his own company van, showing that his hard work was not going unnoticed. Now that Peter has successfully completed his apprenticeship he has gained a full-time, permanent position with Heywood Electrical and hopes to continue his development with the company.
Peter said, “A apprenticeship worked for me! If you know the apprenticeship route is one you want to take, my advice is don’t be disheartened. It takes a lot of work to find the right apprenticeship and you will face setbacks, but don’t give up because it will eventually pay off.”
If you would like more information on how to search and apply for an apprenticeship, please contact our apprenticeship team on 01744 623521 or appenquiry@sthelens.ac.uk.