Newcareeris morethanjust apipedream
Lisa QUits oil FoR FResh staRt
●This week is National Apprenticeship Week. The Scottish Apprenticeship Show is at Edinburgh’s EICC on September 2-3 and Glasgow’s Science Centre on October 7-8.● For more on attending or sponsoring/ exhibiting, visit www.scottishapprenticeshipshow.co.uk WHEN the oil industry crisis left Lisa Hamilton struggling for work, she swapped one kind of pipe for another. Like many in the north-east of Scotland, the 29-year-old opted to retrain when energy jobs started to dry up. Lisa, from Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, had been working in admin roles in the sector. Now she has turned her attention to a whole new trade and is training as a plumber on a Modern Apprenticeship. Lisa
apprentice happy to get hands-on role
said: “Back in 2015, when things started to go wrong for the economy here, I couldn’t find any temp roles and I wasn’t looking for a permanent role, because I hated the work I was doing.
“I guess that gave me the kick that I needed to change my career and apply for an apprenticeship.”
Lisa has now been with Aberdeen-based building services company FES for just under a year as part of a four- year Modern Apprenticeship in plumbing and heating.
Lisa, who is studying towards a Level 3 SVQ qualification through Tullos Training, and attends the training centre on release from her day job, said: “The job and the training really complement each other.
“I think my apprenticeship is giving me really good experience. If you went to college, employers would still be looking for experience. With an apprenticeship you get the best of both.”