A careers event at school helped Jack land an apprenticeship.
Jack lives near Crickhowell. As he prepared to leave school, he was unsure about what to do next.
Finding a practical route
Jack met with Vicky, the Careers Wales adviser at his school. They initially explored automotive courses at college.
He said, “I prefer doing practical work. I didn’t like being sat around. I felt as though an automotive course in college still wouldn’t have been practical enough for me.”
Jack already had a strong interest in plant maintenance. This grew from his experience of machinery on his family’s farm.
From careers event to work experience
At a school careers event, Jack met members of the team from W.B.C. Plant Hire. Vicky helped Jack stay in contact with the company after the event.
He said, “Vicky helped me to find the person responsible for apprenticeships in the company and let them know there was someone interested. I got in touch and it all started from there.
"Vicky helped me get a footing in the company. She helped me make contact with the right people and made the whole process much easier.”
Jack visited the company and was offered two weeks of work experience. During the placement, he impressed the team with his work ethic, positive attitude and interest in the industry.
When he finished the placement, he was offered an apprenticeship.
Jack has now started his Level 2 Plant Maintenance apprenticeship. His studies are at Bridgend College’s Pencoed Campus.
He said, “Day to day, it changes a lot. Some days I might be servicing machinery, and other days I might be doing something more advanced. I’ve got people helping everywhere, and it’s nice having a change.”
Looking to the future
Jack is now focused on completing his qualification. He wants to encourage other young people to find something they enjoy:
“Try to find something that interests you. Sometimes it’s hard, but I found something that interests me and I’m enjoying it.”
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