Published at 15:57, Wednesday, 23 February 2011

MARYPORT teenager BRYONY TOWERS started her training with TIS Cumbria in September 2009.MULTI-SKILLS apprentice SAM FORRESTER joined the TIS team in 2009 when he started his four-year training programme.

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She is currently the only female at the firm training in a multi-skills apprenticeship and said it was the only way she wanted to develop her career.

The former Netherhall School student said the nature of the apprenticeship has meant she has already learned a host of new skills and techniques which could be applied to a number of industries.

“I have trained in all sorts from welding, the Skills Olympics scheme, an NVQ Level 3 in welding and now I’m on to Computer Numerate Control (CNC) machining,” Bryony said.

“This part of the apprenticeship is learning about how computers lead machines, and it’s probably been the topic I have enjoyed the most. It’s been more enjoyable than welding.

“I have really enjoyed the training on everything related to computers and I also like the drawing side to the job.”

The 17-year-old’s four-year apprenticeship will see her join one of the most skilled generations in recent history.

Her extensive training means she has to go to GEN II’s Carlisle training centre once a week for further skills development.

Although she admits she is one of a minority of females training to eventually work in the industry, she said she is very much treated as one of the team.

“I am no different to the other apprentices here – rather than being judged on our gender, we are judged on our skills and ability to do a good job.” she said.

“My love of engineering started a couple of years ago when I took an engineering GCSE and it snowballed from there.

“And doing an apprenticeship here with TIS was the best decision I have ever made. The support through my training has been fantastic and because of the nice number of apprentices here, we have one-to-one training almost all of the time.

“But on the other hand we’re also given the responsibility to get on with the job ourselves.”

Using the firm’s state-of-the-art equipment has also been a bonus for Bryony, who said she has been using the orbital welding machine – she is one of only two apprentices who use the machine at TIS.

Although she is in her third year of her apprenticeship, Bryony said she is already working on products for major contracts such as Sellafield.

“My career prospects are probably better than what they would be had I decided to go to sixth form and then university,” she said.

“Later on in my career I could move to major engineering firms if I wanted to thanks to my skills base.

“That’s the best thing about apprenticeships – you earn a wage while you learn, so in four years’ time when I’m all finished I won’t have any debt hanging over me.

Although he is only 18 months into the scheme, Sam’s bosses are hailing the 16-year-old as one of the best they have seen.

His skills are, according to John Bragg, joint managing director at TIS, “far beyond his years”.

But it was his family’s influence that led Sam to start an apprentice with TIS. “My family have all had practical jobs and their background was all practical-based work,” Sam said. “Being brought up around it, I wanted to do the same. So I applied for the apprenticeship here at TIS.

“I knew the firm had a good reputation and that it didn’t take on hundreds of apprentices every year – so the training would be top quality.”

The former Netherhall student has recently been developing his welding skills on the firm’s state-of-the-art machinery, a topic of his training that he said he particularly enjoys.

“Welding has been the best part of the training so far. I really enjoy it and seem to be quite good at it. My bosses have also been pretty impressed with my skills,” he said.

“It’s the practical aspect of both welding and the apprenticeship that interests me the most.

“At the moment I’m spending one day a week doing theory work that goes alongside the apprenticeship. But on a week-by-week basis I can be developing pipe welding techniques, using the orbital machine, or busy in machine shop. It’s pretty varied but it keeps the job interesting.

“It does feel great to have all these good skills under my belt though – they will see me right through my career. But it has been thanks to the team at TIS that I have done so well.

“The support they give is very good and when we first started we had a mentor with us for six months solid. They are always there to help.”

Once Sam’s apprenticeship is finished he hopes to stay with TIS as a general welder.

Although he would also like to develop his design skills, he said the future for him means gaining as many skills and qualifications in welding as possible.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk