Ayaz Khan

Ayaz Khan, 19, Burnley Sheet metal welding engineer, Turkington Engineering, Burnley Attended: Gawthorpe High School, Burnley Learning provider: Training 2000 Qualifications: NVQ Level 2 and Key Skills Level 1-2 City & Guilds Progression Award in Performing Engineering Operations Apprenticeship : Welding and Fabrication	How did you find out about the Apprenticeship programme? I started at Turkington through an entry to employment programme. Because I was doing really well on it my employer suggested that I should progress on to an Apprenticeship. Why an Apprenticeship? I wanted to do an Apprenticeship because it can open a lot of doors. I chose Welding and Fabrication because I had tried lots of other jobs in the workshop and that was the thing that I was best at. A Day in the Life I start work at 8 am in the morning. If I haven’t already got a task to do, I go and ask my supervisor for a job. Then I’ll go and check the materials, cut it, weld it and polish. Then I’ll take it to fitting or on to the conveyor or electrical – depending on the job. I have half an hour for lunch and finish at 4.30. Sometimes I take advantage of the optional overtime. While I was doing the Apprenticeship I sometimes had homework to do in the evenings. What Skills have you learnt? I’ve learnt a lot. As well as the workshop skills, I’ve learnt about working with a team. I’ve also learnt a lot about how to communicate with other people. Best bit My favourite thing is when I finish welding and it goes to polishing. It is very satisfying to see my work contributing to a big order. Worst bit The worst thing is when a job goes wrong. However, you can normally put any mistakes right, and that’s a good way of learning.	Ambition/Future Career Plan I’m very happy to carry on as I am for now as an employee of Turkington Engineering. I am open minded about what work I might do in the future, but I would like it to be in the same kind of industry that I’m already in. What do you think of the Apprenticeship programme? Doing an Apprenticeship has made a huge difference in my life. I am sure that I would never have got this job without one. I’m not the kind of person to enjoy being at college full time, so this Apprenticeship was ideal for me as I got the opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment. It has really helped me to gain communication skills that make me more employable too. His Employer says (Gary Morley from Turkington Engineering) There is definitely a skills shortage in the area, and Apprenticeships are the ideal way to fill that gap. It can be hard to find the right calibre of skilled electricians and fabricators so we bring in new people and then train them up. At Turkington Engineering we have an on-going programme with Training 2000 in Blackburn and take on about three or four Apprentices each year. Within the first couple of months of Ayaz joining us, he had used all the money that he had earned through the entry to employment scheme to buy tools. It demonstrated his commitment and enthusiasm for what he was doing. We asked him if he wanted to go on to an Apprenticeship, because we thought he would benefit. He really took to it and passed last year. He is now continuing to work for us as a regular employee. Ayaz is a real asset to the company.

How did you find out about the Apprenticeship programme?

I started at Turkington through an entry to employment programme. Because I was doing really well on it my employer suggested that I should progress on to an Apprenticeship.

Why an Apprenticeship?

I wanted to do an Apprenticeship because it can open a lot of doors. I chose Welding and Fabrication because I had tried lots of other jobs in the workshop and that was the thing that I was best at.

A Day in the Life

I start work at 8 am in the morning. If I haven’t already got a task to do, I go and ask my supervisor for a job. Then I’ll go and check the materials, cut it, weld it and polish. Then I’ll take it to fitting or on to the conveyor or electrical – depending on the job. I have half an hour for lunch and finish at 4.30. Sometimes I take advantage of the optional overtime. While I was doing the Apprenticeship I sometimes had homework to do in the evenings.

What Skills have you learnt?

I’ve learnt a lot. As well as the workshop skills, I’ve learnt about working with a team. I’ve also learnt a lot about how to communicate with other people.

Best bit

My favourite thing is when I finish welding and it goes to polishing. It is very satisfying to see my work contributing to a big order.

Worst bit

The worst thing is when a job goes wrong. However, you can normally put any mistakes right, and that’s a good way of learning.