Member Article

Amy engineers job success

A twenty-one year old apprentice who swapped a history degree for a job at a Gateshead engineering giant has progressed to an accountancy job within the firm.

Amy Halpin from Heworth in Gateshead, who is one of Express Engineering’s 23 current apprentices, has completed her first year at the firm and won a promotion to trainee accounts clerk after impressing her manager.

Amy is now working towards an advanced apprenticeship in business admin and will then study for an AAT accounting technician qualification with Access Training.

Express Engineering employs 220 people on the Team Valley and manufactures precision machined components for a range of industries including oil and gas, aerospace, defence and power generation.

Amy’s manager Michele (MICHELE) Watson mentors all of the company’s office-based apprentices and has, herself, recently enrolled on a higher apprenticeship in leadership and management at Access Training to enable her to get the most out of her growing team.

The NVQ Level 5 qualification covers strategic decision making, managing budgets, planning and implementing change, leading teams and managing projects.

Michele said: “Our annual staff intake includes at least one business administrator. We run apprenticeship programs because there is a shortage of skilled people within the engineering industry including administration and support. Express Engineering sees apprenticeships as a way of filling that skills gaps.

“Amy has done extremely well; she is very competent. As a mentor, I find that you get out what you put in. Apprenticeships are a two-way street. Access has always provided us with young people with lots of potential which is essential.”

Amy said: “While I was doing my first year at university I had a part time job in an accounts department at a national retailer. I found I really enjoyed the job more than I enjoyed studying.

“I’m really pleased I found this apprenticeship, it was the right decision for me. From the very start my manager Michele has been incredibly supportive and I get to earn qualifications as well as a wage.”

Managing director of Access Training, Malcolm Armstrong said: “Express Engineering is not only respected for its precision engineering but also for their dedication to giving so many young people worthwhile employment and training opportunities. They are one of many Gateshead companies we are proud to have long term working relationships with. We are also based on the Team Valley and passionate about supporting Gateshead companies to develop their workforces.

“Although Amy has turned her back on higher education for the time being, her manager Michele is showing that you can get higher level qualifications through the work based route too.”

Access Training is Gateshead’s one of the largest and longest established training providers and the only training company in Tyne and Wear to achieve the prestigious Training Quality Standard (TQS).

For more information contact Access Training on 0191490 4646 or email info@accesstraining.org

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jill Farmer (Dobson) .