National Apprenticeship Week is a celebration of the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the wider community. This year’s Apprenticeship Week took place from March 4-8 and was co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service. Leading energy and services company, ENGIE is a great advocator of apprenticeships and goes to great lengths to promote this pathway to full-time employment in Northern Ireland.
“One of our main aims is to lead the way in delivering award winning apprenticeship standards that satisfy career aspirations and support our succession plan,” said Engie HR Manager, Jacqui Dornan.
The benefits of ENGIE’s apprenticeship programme are plentiful including:
- Earn while you learn.
- Gain a professional qualification.
- Working with experts.
- Have a designated Mentor throughout your apprenticeship.
- Both professional and personal development.
Below is a Q&A interview with two apprentices with first-hand knowledge of ENGIE’S apprenticeship scheme. Mark Lynch is a former apprentice and now a qualified Gas Engineer at ENGIE while Kai Smith is currently serving his apprenticeship as a plumber.
Former Trainee
Name: Mark Lynch
Age: 28
Job Title: Gas Engineer
What advice would you give yourself as an apprentice/trainee?
Keep at it. There will always be challenging times but all worth it in the end. Always listen to your mentor and ask lots of questions.
What made you want to become an apprentice/ trainee? (Tell us about your journey)
I went out on work experience when at school with a Heating Engineer and loved it. I contacted the local colleges and researched the entry requirements and secured a placement with HEAT Ltd. I’m lucky to still work with many of the Engineers and Managers who trained and mentored me today who are now employed by Engie.
How long have you been at ENGIE?
I’ve been with Engie from March 2018 however have been with the same business for 12 years in total. I started as an Apprentice Plumber on Heating Maintenance and then progressed into heating installations as an Apprentice Plumber. Once qualified I then completed my gas qualifications and became a Gas Engineer on Installs. I have more recently returned to the Heating Maintenance Department and am enjoying the response maintenance side of things and the fault finding aspect of attending breakdowns.
Current Trainee
Name: Kai Smyth
Age: 19
Job Title: Apprentice Plumber
What made you want to become an apprentice/ trainee? (Tell us about your journey)
I knew from an early age I wanted to learn a trade and work with my hands I completed my work experience in Plumbing and have been lucky enough to have a good mentor in Engie who has taught me a lot.
What do you like best about being an apprentice/trainee?
I like learning something new every day and work in all areas Northern Ireland. Engie have a lot of experienced skilled trades people that I can learn from and there is a lot of support available.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Ideally, I would like to get qualified first and then perhaps progress to upskill in Gas. In 10 years time I would ideally like to be a Site Supervisor or Foreman and manage a good team of people.
