A career in engineering doesn’t have to start at university. For many young people, learning on the job is the best way to build practical skills, gain confidence and see what a working day in their chosen field actually looks like.
Apprentices shadow experienced professionals, work as part of a team and improve their communication skills along the way, which makes an apprenticeship an appealing path into a skilled career.
At Airia, we’re investing in the next generation of talented professionals by welcoming two new apprentices, Sophie and Ben, to the team. With a mix of college based learning and practical workplace training, they’ll develop the technical knowledge and experience they need to build careers in engineering.
Developing young engineers is nothing new for us. Airia welcomed its first apprentice in 2010, and we’ve kept investing in young talent ever since, giving people the opportunity to build successful careers in engineering. Today, four former apprentices are still with Airia and have become valued members of the team. Welcoming Sophie and Ben this year continues that commitment to supporting local talent and helping to address the industry’s future skills needs.
Learning Through Real World Experience
Sophie and Ben are both undertaking a Level 3 Engineering Maintenance Technician apprenticeship, specialising in electrical and mechanical engineering.
Their training combines block release at college with practical experience alongside Airia’s field service engineers. When they’re not at college, they’ll spend four to five days a week with the team, learning from experienced engineers and seeing the day to day demands of the role first hand.
Their training will cover areas including:
- Electrical and mechanical engineering maintenance
- Understanding engineering systems and components
- Practical fault finding and maintenance techniques
- Working safely with tools and equipment
- Developing problem solving skills
On site, Sophie and Ben will put that learning to work on the compressed air systems our customers rely on every day. They’ll see how our engineers service and repair air compressors, dryers and filters, carry out planned preventative maintenance and respond to call outs where getting a business back up and running quickly really matters. Because Airia is an Atlas Copco premier distributor, they’ll also be working with Atlas Copco equipment from day one.
This mix of formal study and workplace experience lets them apply classroom theory in real settings and build confidence alongside their technical skills.
Another Route into a Skilled Career
University is a smart choice for many people, but it’s not the only way to build a successful career. Apprenticeships suit people who prefer learning by doing and want to develop practical skills alongside their studies.
We support apprentices to earn while they learn, so they can gain recognised qualifications and develop transferable skills such as communication, collaboration and problem solving.
For young people who don’t see themselves in a traditional office based role, engineering offers a practical, varied career with opportunities to specialise and progress. Apprentices also experience the expectations and responsibilities of a professional workplace from the outset.
Investing in Long Term Skills
Apprenticeships benefit both employers and individuals. By training new talent, businesses pass on valuable experience and make sure the sector keeps developing the skilled professionals it needs. In a specialist field like compressed air, where so much is learned on site, that matters even more.
Airia has provided compressed air solutions since 2009. Our team and operations have grown since then, but we still pride ourselves on a friendly, honest, long term approach. Taking on apprentices fits naturally with that. It’s about building lasting relationships with our people as well as our customers.
The UK government also supports apprenticeships and has put more emphasis on ways to gain skills outside traditional degrees. It’s one way to tackle youth unemployment and help young people into careers that need practical skills.
For Airia, welcoming Sophie and Ben is an investment in people, practical expertise and the future of engineering.
Looking Ahead
As Sophie and Ben progress through their apprenticeship and build up hundreds of hours of experience on the job, they’ll learn from experienced colleagues, take on new responsibilities and put their skills to the test with guidance from the team.
We’re pleased to welcome them both to Airia and look forward to supporting their development as they begin their engineering careers. If you see them out on site with our engineers, be sure to say hello.
Find out more about Airia and our work here.
