My old man is doing the same thing as what I’m doing. I’ve kind of grown up around the engineering side of things so it’s basically all I know. I guess it has a lot to do with what I’d grown up around and been influenced by as a young kid. It has definitely helped to have had a bit of knowledge outside of the workplace before I started in.

We get customers wanting a part, or getting something cut out or an engineering drawing with something they want machined. The team in the office do the drawings, put it on the computer, send it to the machine, then the machine cuts it out. I work at the machine shop that does any repairing or further machining if needed; drilling, threading holes, welding prep, etc. It requires a lot of troubleshooting and problem solving to service these parts.

The work is good, it’s a good field to be in. You can travel the world and really go anywhere with it – I love the opportunities it brings. A good day to me looks like being productive, and having a good challenge. You have to think a lot outside of the box and it requires you to use your brain.

If you know what you’re doing it’s rewarding but sometimes it can be really hard learning a bit of the stuff.

Currently I’m doing block courses that cover a few things. These courses and information are split up between being online and theory work in the workshop – which you get paid to do of course. The big motivation for apprentices is getting the bookwork done as smashing it out means you can finish your apprenticeship earlier. By the time you’ve completed your credits hand in hand with your 9000 hours of practical work you can receive a proper certificate for mechanical engineering. I’m currently working on Level 1 and 2 Mechanical Engineering – which you can do while you’re at school.

It’s not for everyone to start an apprenticeship right away or go to uni right away and it always pays off to go and experience a few things. Don’t regret trying new things. Until you go and do some hours in work and actually be put on the spot in a job, you don’t always know what to expect. Trying a few things can help you narrow down even more on what you want to do. I’d definitely recommend getting work experience – it’s a good thing for your growth. Even if it’s just for 1 or 2 days.

Get more experience! Always try new things.

If you go into any work place with a good attitude and keen to learn, you’ll go places. Knowing what’s good and bad for you is also important, like surrounding yourself with the right people outside of work. Your life outside of work has a lot to do with your life inside of work. If you don’t priotise your wellbeing outside of work, your career and your training won’t be as easy. The apprenticeship guys always talk about priotising diet, physical exercise, having a good social life – balancing life out – makes all the difference too. Getting too carried away with work in your personal life and vice versa is not so good.

I do a lot outside of work. I play football, I enjoy racing. I have an active mind so always need to keep myself busy with something – inside and outside of work. I find for me that when I don’t keep myself busy I go downhill. In general I just love fixing stuff and doing fun things with my friends. Having a good social circle – knowing when to remove myself from toxic places or people.

You’re always gonna get down in life. Some weeks I’ll have a really amazing week then two weeks later I’ll have a bad week, bad fortnight. If you have something to fall back on and look forward to, it keeps you going. Have things in your life to keep you going. If you just work and go home and have nothing outside of what you do, you get trapped into a cycle and everything gets very repetitive.

I definitely want to travel and go explore the world.