Apprentice’s career firing on all cylinders after switch
A Former trainee paramedic has praised an apprenticeship scheme for helping her change her career path.
With two elder brothers, conversations often turned to military matters for Rina Bendahan when she was growing up.
Now, the 23-year-old is a degree apprentice at Defence Equipment & Support.
She gets to see the variety of vehicles, vessels, aircraft and kit being procured for the Armed Forces at close proximity.
Alongside this, she is working towards concrete qualifications and gaining hands-on experience as a member of the Weapons Ordnance Munitions and Explosives team at the Submarine Delivery Agency/naval Authority Group.
“I was studying to be a paramedic,” said Rina, “I was good at the job but I just wanted to expand my horizons.
“I joined the apprenticeship scheme because I thought that it was a good way to get a degree and I’m more of a hands-on learner, rather than just plain school-style learning.
“I think you learn more when you’re applying engineering principles whilst working on the job, so you can see how it’s applied in real life.” Two years into a five-year scheme, Rina now works on magazine safety for maritime platforms and warships in harbour and her horizons and ambitions have already been broadened.
As well as memorable experiences visiting type 45 and type 23 frigates and the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, she has taken up extra training opportunities and is on an intermediate ordnance, munitions and explosives course at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham.
“If you’re interested in it and push for it, you can get it,” she added.
“The organisation is happy to continue your professional development and there are loads of opportunities here to progress your career. You’re never stagnant, you just keep moving.
“I really enjoy going out to see the kit we’re working on. That’s been amazing. You can’t imagine it properly until you’ve actually been to see it.
“I have two older brothers and that’s the sort of thing we liked to talk about and watch when we were kids.
“That’s basically where my interest comes from.”