Apprenticeships are the Pipeline to Career Success

My career journey started when I successfully completed entrance tests for an apprenticeship in structural and fabrication engineering in my hometown of Llanelli. I left school at the age of 15 with no formal qualifications and this opportunity looked like the right fit for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, learning on the job and benefiting from the vast experience of the engineers I worked with.  

Knowing that apprenticeship opportunities are available is key, hence the importance of National Apprenticeship Week in bringing together businesses to showcase the apprentice roles on offer.  

I owe a lot to my apprenticeship. It gave me the skills and experience to build my career – starting as a craftsman and moving into more ‘white collar’ roles by my mid-20s. These roles were instrumental in preparing me for my shift into senior positions in international business and the utility sector more than 30 years ago.   

Through my apprenticeship I achieved recognised qualifications and it inspired me to pursue academic studies with local colleges and the Open University. Achieving a Masters in Business Administration from Cardiff University was a particular highlight.  

My apprenticeship also helped me to develop many of the more ‘softer’ skills that are so important to business today, building my confidence at a young age to work in team environments, to build strong working relationships and to constructively challenge processes and procedures as and when appropriate.  

I strongly believe that apprenticeships are critical to the future of our workforce and for business change and development. They are also essential for contributing to economic growth at regional and national levels.  

Throughout my career I have been passionate about investing in people from all backgrounds and supporting them to reach their full potential. I have been fortunate enough to weave this passion into my career, working in senior roles across SMEs and larger organisations in the manufacturing and utility sectors, as well as through serving on Boards that impact business, employment and skills.   

As a business leader who benefited from apprenticeship opportunities, it has been a priority of mine to pay this forward. I am proud to continue to foster an environment where apprentices can flourish and grow at Wales & West Utilities. Over the past 20 years we have employed nearly 200 apprentices, with 100% securing permanent positions and many moving into senior positions with us.  

Recruitment to our apprenticeship programme for 2025 has just kicked off with exciting engineering roles on offer. I am personally looking forward to welcoming the new appointments this year and working with my colleagues to inspire long and successful careers in the sector.   

I would thoroughly recommend an apprenticeship as a route to new opportunities and professional development for anyone considering the next steps in their career. I am delighted to see the commitment of business and industry in Wales to nurturing new talent and retaining those skills beyond the apprenticeship programme. I believe it is vital to invest in the next generation through apprenticeships that can instil the same confidence and ambition that propelled my career forward.