Althea Bleekman: Apprenticeship Profile
Professional events rider Althea Bleekman certainly knows her horsepower, having completed an apprenticeship through Exeter College which means she can also drive HGVs.
The 19-year-old, who works for the family stables in Cullompton and helped lead the British Pony Team to Silver victory in the 2009 European Pony Championships in Switzerland, is now equipped with an NVQ Level 3 qualification in Driving and Managing Goods.
She says: "A woman who had worked in our yard had done the same course. She told me how good it was and how beneficial it would be to me, so I decided I would do it. We have around 30 horses, which previously meant a lot of work for my mum when transporting them. Now I help her by driving my own horsebox with horses in too. I would encourage other young women thinking about learning to drive HGVs to do so. The instruction Exeter College and Trans Plant Mastertrain provides is absolutely fantastic. It is the best training you could have."
Sam Hollis: Apprenticeship Profile
I work with Alcoa Howmet Ltd and previously worked as part of the maintenance team diagnosing and repairing electrical faults on a wide range of technically complex plant equipment used for the manufacture of aerospace and industrial gas turbine blades. I have now moved into the Plant Engineering Department where my knowledge is being put to good use on a daily basis.
When I started the job I was uncertain about the apprenticeship training that went with it and how it was going to work, but with the support of my employer and the college I now have a real future in engineering ahead of me. It goes to show how the training plus the job have really helped me succeed. I have progressed from the Apprenticeship to the Advanced Apprenticeship and am continuing with my studies on the Foundation Degree. All this was made possible through a combination of a supportive employer, my training at Exeter College along with all the hard work and commitment that I have put in.
Tony Lichfield: Apprenticeship Profile
HAVING fallen into vehicle body repair by chance, 21-year-old Tony Lichfield is about to find out whether he is one of only six apprentices across the whole of the UK to have made it through to the WorldSkills London 2011 final, having already won this year’s South-West heat in his chosen field.
Dividing his week between lessons at Exeter College’s Automotive centre in Marsh Barton and working for his employer Kynaston Autobodies Ltd, based nearby, he is currently finishing his NVQ Level 2 in Vehicle Body and Paint Operations and will begin his Level 3 Apprenticeship in September.
Delighted to have made it so far in the world’s largest international skills competition for young people, it is all a far cry from his situation just over a year ago.
Tony says: "I was a plumber but was laid off. So when something came up at Kynaston, I thought I’d give it a try. I've always been a hands-on person, and here I've found myself working in a really friendly atmosphere.
"I have learned a lot from people at the garage who have been doing this for a while and at Exeter College where my tutor Nathan Weston also has a background in the trade. It’s nice that they are able to pass their knowledge on to somebody who is just starting out."
Tony, who lives in Exeter and previously attended Teign School in Kingsteignton, adds: "If anyone else is considering an apprenticeship, I'd say: ‘Go for it!'".