Billy

I'm Billy, an Electrical Apprentice at Aston Group.

I have been an apprentice for approximately eight months. I learnt about it through a family friend who works for Aston Group and I now get to work with them on a daily basis.

I have always wanted to pursue a hands-on career that tests me mentally so the prospect of becoming a qualified electrician was very appealing to me as it will allow me to take on those challenging tasks on a daily basis.

The aspect that is most attractive to me about the apprenticeship role is the ability to go to college and learn the necessary theory whilst being paid to work the rest of the week and gaining on the job experience

I was fortunately suprised by the respect and support I have received by my peers since joining the team. My more qualified colleges have helped me along the way and spent time guiding me whenever I’ve needed help. I have been mostly assisting the first and second fixing of domestic premises and installing extractor fans

I have had a very positive experience so far working with the other tradespeople on site as well as all of the office staff. They happily welcomed me on as part of the team.

The best part of the apprenticeship is how my week is spilt into classroom learning and working alongside a qualified electrician. This allows me to grasp both the theory and physical concepts required to being fully qualified whilst also being paid.

It can be disheartening when first seeing that your wage might not be as high as it would be working a regular job but when taking into consideration that your training is paid for and at the end you will have the capability to earn far more than an unskilled person.

The one piece of advice I would give someone looking at apprenticeships is a lot of patience is required because you have to start with almost zero knowledge and experience but if you stay consistent and fully apply yourself then in time you will see a lot of progress towards your goals.

How it's going in 2025

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Aston Group through the apprenticeship to becoming a qualified electrician.

I was fortunate that a company was interested in supporting me through this process as I now feel competent in the field that I work in due to the experience gained during my time served apprenticeship.

I have been lucky to have a supportive group of colleagues who have always been happy to assist me and pass down their own knowledge which has only made the experience smoother and more enjoyable.

The transition from apprentice to fully qualified engineer has been somewhat challenging however, the department has aided this process by gradually increasing the workload whilst I settled in.

I hope to continue learning and acquire more qualifications in my field, with my next goal being the 2391 (Inspection & Testing) course.