“I can see a future for me at GE Caledonian” – Isaac Renucci, Foundation Apprentice

Over the summer holidays our Engineering Foundation Apprentices took on the challenge of a two-week work placement with a local engineering company. We caught up with some of the pupils to find out how they are finding the Foundation Apprenticeship and if they enjoyed their work placement.

Next is Isaac Renucci, Prestwick Academy pupil, he also chose GE Caledonian for his summer work placement.

A Foundation Apprenticeship is a work-based learning course that allows school pupils to gain a college qualification while remaining at school. The work placement is one of the key elements of the course, as pupils can put into practice the skills they have learnt.

“If I am honest, I didn’t really like the other subject options I had to fill my timetable at school. I just thought, I like the look of this course I will give it a go and apply.

Right now in the course it’s mostly physics-based theory. In first year though it was more practical, we wired a circuit board and completed a fitting unit.

I must admit before the work experience I didn’t see myself working in engineering. After the work placement, I have completely changed my mind. I really enjoyed it and could see myself working somewhere like GE Caledonian.

The company was impressive. It was quite a scary experience working with all this expensive equipment. I didn’t want to touch anything in case I broke it.

The people at GE Caledonian were great. On my first day everyone that I met spoke to me. When they passed me they would ask how I am. It was just a really friendly and welcoming environment.

During the first week of my placement I was working on the LPT strip, on the new genx2b engine, and working on the module and parts. Then I moved onto the gearbox.

I wasn’t trained to use all the machinery but I had the hand skills to complete the same tasks as everyone else there. I was treated as an actual member of the team for those two weeks.

I can see a future for me at GE Caledonian.”

Stephen McNab, Apprentice Leader at GE Caledonian commented “The group of Foundation Apprentices on work placement with us were fantastic. Their enthusiasm and drive over the two weeks was evident from the start. The level of skill they started the placement with was tremendous. I had their mentors here telling me how impressed they have been. For us as a company, being able to interact with the Foundation Apprentices is valuable. It offers us the opportunity to spot talent and create a pipeline into our Modern Apprenticeship programme.”

For more information about our Foundation Apprenticeship Programmes click here.