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It’s day 2 of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, which means it’s time for Jamie’s turn in the spotlight! Jamie is the first of Dustacco’s apprentices to feature, and he’s in the first year of his Fabrication and Welding HNC with Ayrshire College.
What made you choose this particular course and what was the application process?
I did my SVQ Level 2 in Performing Engineering Operations with the Ayrshire College, which is a 1 year course. I got the placement with Dustacco through a day release as part of my Fabrication and Welding HNC, which I applied for through the college. Dustacco invited a group of us for a trial visit over a couple of days and then they offered me a place.
How does the course relate to your workload?
Some of my classmates are working in aero-engineering companies, so the kind of machines that they are learning about and working with would never be relevant to my work at Dustacco. They’re also gaining a lot of experience with Stick welding, which isn’t something that I’d had much practice with. But on the other hand I’ve had a lot of experience with TIG welding as Dustacco do a lot of that. I’ve never struggled or felt like I’m falling behind though; I just make sure I work harder so I can pass!
Has the course lived up to your expectations?
I’m a hands-on learner, so I’m enjoying getting to practice different welding techniques. And the nature of Dustacco means that I always get the chance to do something different, which is great.
I get a lot of support and guidance from the guys, especially Alex (McNab – Dustacco Workshop Supervisor) and Shaun (Hawkins – Dustacco Welder and former Apprentice), and we’re always talking throughout the day so if there’s ever a problem then it can usually be sorted out pretty quickly.
What would you like to do once you complete your apprenticeship?
I definitely want to keep welding, I really enjoy it and want to keep learning and improving.
