It’s a common belief that apprenticeships are only for school or college leavers and not available to older people. But this isn’t the case. We’ve got apprentices of all ages at Abri.
Ian Hamer started the Electrical Apprenticeship in September 2023 and is excited to share his journey with Abri so far.
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
I'm 40 years old with no qualifications besides my A levels which only got me so far. After starting a family, I wanted to have a reliable career with skills and qualifications that I can fall back on.
I've been made redundant four times in my life and always found myself starting at the bottom again wherever I go. Now, with a family to support it's been important to me to find a career where, if I found myself facing redundancy again, I would at least have a skill to fall back on. So, I looked into the possibility of an apprenticeship with Abri and here I am!
What do you enjoy most about your apprenticeship?
It's all been great. I've not had anything negative to say about the apprenticeship so far. My favourite part of the apprenticeship with Abri is the wealth of knowledge I get from all the different people across different areas. There are over 30 electricians within the company, and I get plenty of time to work alongside all of them. I’m getting knowledge from my colleagues, learning new techniques and getting opportunities to put what I’m learning into practice.
What made you choose the apprenticeship with Abri?
Abri is a large housing association, so they've got a lot of work available. It opens the opportunity to network and having lots of colleagues to draw knowledge from is part of what makes Abri stand out. Now I’m here, my plan is to stay for life, they are a great employer and have a fantastic benefits package.
Abri employs people who align with their values and behaviours. I feel like my managers truly believe in me and want me to develop in my role. From my own experience, and what I've seen with other colleagues, Abri’s learning and development opportunities are outstanding.
Hopes for the future?
I hope to stay on with Abri. The benefits they offer are great, and they are, in general just a great employer. I’d like to develop in my role, but don’t see any reason to move on from Abri. There’s lots of success stories from electrician apprentices at Abri and I aspire to join the list. With my qualifications there is a whole world of opportunities that I can explore.
I’ve always been interested in the science behind electrical work and at my age, being at college has been great, I’m absolutely loving it.
I believe Abri are willing to invest in you and want to encourage you to develop within the company. and the more they get to know you, the easier it becomes to develop within the company.
What advice would you have for someone considering an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to develop. When you go to university, you learn the facts and get workshop experience, but without hands on, practical experience, University might only take you so far. An apprenticeship gives you valuable work experience. There’s a massive difference in putting something into practice once you’ve learnt behind the scenes. There’s always a mentor a few steps behind you in case you need them, so you never feel like you’re on your own. It is the place where you can make mistakes and learn from them in the best possible environment.
The pace of an apprenticeship is good as well. The programmes are well thought out. They take into consideration how much time you need to learn, whilst making sure you are getting enough on the job experience too. It’s particularly helpful if you’re struggling in one particular area – there’s more opportunities to go back and practice which I don’t think you always get on a standard course at college or university.
