I first heard about this apprenticeship opportunity was at my school when they had a careers week, where lots of different companies came in and talked about what they do and what jobs they have available. I found the Norbar one very interesting as I have seen CNC machines before and have always been interested in them. I applied for the CNC machinist role and went through the interview process. This consisted of one face-to-face interview about me and what I have achieved, talking about how school went and my grades, and why I wanted this apprenticeship. Then I got to the second stage which consisted of a small test and a second face-to-face interview, followed by a PowerPoint presentation on what I have achieved in engineering so far in my life.  I did not get the apprenticeship at first but they offered me 6 weeks summer work to give me more of an insight into engineering. Half way through the 6 weeks they offered me the job.

I am currently in my second year of my apprenticeship and I am really enjoying it so far. In the first year I was full time at college learning all the basics for what I will need in the future. I was back at work when they had half terms. Now that I am in my second year, I go to college in 3-week blocks to this point I have completed six weeks of college and have 3 weeks left.  Throughout all of college I have been taught health and safety, maths, electronics, manual milling and turning, hand fitting, bit and efficiency, communications, electronic and electrical principles, mechanical principles, CAD level 2 and 3 and fluid power. I have still got electrical installation to go.

In my second year I am on my placements, this is where you go around the company to see what they do.  It gets quite interesting to see what I will be making parts for and what they eventually end up like. You see all parts of the company from the practical side in the machine shop and the building areas to the office work and design areas. I have currently been in machine shop, product realisation, special products, planning, gearbox assembly, goods in, raw materials, torque wrench assembly, procurement, electrical engineering, torque wrench tube preparation, quality, technical sales and I am currently in marketing.

The best placements I have had so far have been product realisation, special products, gearbox and machine shop.

At the end of my apprenticeship, I will end up in the machine shop.