An ambitious student is looking to broaden his engineering skill set by studying on an apprenticeship programme with Solihull College & University Centre and Greater Birmingham & Solihull Institute of Technology.
Chris Hill, 20, is making strides in his apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently on a 3 year programme while working at local company CNG Services Ltd, who provide design, build and project management services for new gas pipelines, CNG filling stations, biomethane to grid plants and onshore natural gas processing plants.
Chris began his apprenticeship at 18 when he began working for the company as a Junior CAD Operator. He was excited to start his role and already held ambitions to upskill. ‘I had ambitions further than CAD. I wanted to understand the entire process. The apprenticeship is really interesting. You learn a lot about other areas, this is a solid foundation of the basics of engineering’ he says.
‘I always want to constantly develop’ Chris admits, ‘I joined an engineering group ‘IGEM’ where I go to free events, and network with other engineers. The events are free to young people and I make contacts and learn about the industry which I then bring back to my job’.
Chris is excited about what the future may hold. ‘University might offer you a placement but being in an apprenticeship for 3 years gives you grounding, hands on experience and a career. I can apply what I’ve learned anywhere. The gas industry is an industry that can be worked in all around the world. With my apprenticeship it also opens up opportunity after completion for contract work abroad at some point in the future.’
