Well, it’s been six months, and you’ll all be glad to know that my probationary period has been completed and plenty of progress has been made – both in college and in the factory.

Last time I blogged, I had just begun my apprenticeship and was working on the manual lathe – honing my skills by beginning with the fundamentals of machine engineering. Since then however, much more has been covered and if I was to pick my highlights to date, it would have to be finishing 5 of my training jobs and 3 assessment jobs, five weeks before schedule (and meeting my drawing specs 1^st time).

It’s safe to say that I’m getting more than just knowledge out of the Norbar Apprenticeship scheme. For me, David Way, COO of the National Apprenticeship Services (NAS) sums it up best. He described apprenticeships earlier this month as ‘employment and training,’ not a training course. According to Mr Way, an apprenticeship is ‘employment and skills development in the workplace.’ That’s the way I feel about it too – of course, I’m in college a lot of the time, but I feel that the skills I’m developing are adding a direct value to Norbar, not just technically but in terms of being an employee too. With an apprenticeship you don’t just learn how to do a job, you learn how to be in one.

Now, few would argue that apprenticeships have the potential to be the lifeblood of the UK’s engineering economy, but they probably aren’t at present. I know that I’ve been presented with a brilliant opportunity and many of my peers are also benefitting from the learning and earning approach, but plenty of my generation aren’t. John Hayes, UK government skills minister, boasted at the start of February that the UK now has the biggest apprenticeship program in its history, yet unemployment is still growing. Perhaps it’s also worth noting that Hayes’ comments came on the back of Starbuck’s recent announcement that it’s offering 45 barista training “apprenticeships” a month?

What’s more, the hundreds of places offered by the UK’s top engineering companies pale alongside the thousands of “apprenticeships” offered every year by burger giant McDonalds.

Not to undermine the UK’s need for coffee and a fast meal, but I think the value of a top engineering apprenticeship is much more tangible for the future growth and the prospects of people my age. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that I’ve really enjoyed my apprenticeship so far and it’s been a hugely valuable experience. I just hope more can follow this route into employment and the apprenticeship sector sees more intakes over the coming years.

For the future of UK manufacturing and engineering, and the individual futures of young people today, apprenticeships are vital!

By James Page, Norbar Apprentice