Posted: Thursday 16 September 2010

GE Caledonian Takes on Five Kilmarnock College Engineering Students

Five Kilmarnock College students have been selected to fill apprentice engineer roles with aerospace company GE Caledonian in Prestwick.

The five students including Stuart Muir, Michael Davison, Michael Norton, Iain Gault and Darren Brown were all recruited directly from Kilmarnock College's full-time SVQ Pre-Apprenticeship Engineering Programme.

The apprentices now have fantastic opportunities ahead of them with the ability to plot their own engineering careers which will see them work as skilled mechanics and could even lead to progressing into leadership roles in the aerospace industry.

David Watson, Curriculum Manager for Engineering at Kilmarnock College, is extremely proud of the students. He said: "We've had a long-standing relationship with GE Caledonian and for the last 15 years the College has helped to train its apprentice engineers. There has been a shift in the process this year and we have specifically developed a new course called an SVQ Pre-Apprenticeship Engineering Programme. The course provides students with the knowledge and practical skills employers like GE Caledonian are looking for."

Stewart Christie, Training Manager for GE Caledonian, said: "Kilmarnock College has always supported us with training for our apprentices over the years, but the new SVQ Pre-Apprenticeship Engineering Programme has made our selection process more effective.

"It's great to be able to take on apprentices who have already completed a year of study, know what's expected of them and that are industry ready. The five apprentices taken on this year came recommended with hands-on experience and a real aptitude for engineering. Each of the successful candidates were interviewed and proved to have great enthusiasm for the role.

"The apprentices will still attend Kilmarnock College one day per week with four other days spent with GE Caledonian throughout their three-year apprenticeship and then there could be opportunities if they wish to study further.

"Right now, the world is their oyster. They will go on to become skilled mechanics and will have the opportunity to advance here or elsewhere with GE. GE Caledonian has over 800 employees onsite at Prestwick, but GE employs over 300,000 people worldwide."

Apprentice engineer, Stuart Muir from Tarbolton, added: "I'm delighted to have been taken on as one of GE Caledonian's apprentices. Both of my brothers work offshore as engineers and I've always had a love of all things mechanical, so an engineering apprenticeship was something I had always wanted to do. Right now, I'm doing the NC in Engineering, which I'll follow up with an HNC but I'm hoping to go on to do a degree. I'd like to travel with the job."

Michael Davison from Ardrossan, who has also been taken on by GE Caledonian, said: "This is a really exciting time. Over 20 students were put forward for interview with GE Caledonian, so I couldn't believe it when I got the call to say that I was one of the chosen apprentices. I couldn't wait to tell everyone. My dad is an engineer and has travelled all over with his job and I'd like to have the opportunity to do that too. I'd like to go to university to study further after the apprenticeship, but I'd be quite keen to stay on the tools for a couple of years first and really learn my trade."
For further information on courses available at Kilmarnock College please call 01563 523501 or visit www.kilmarnock.ac.uk.

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For more information, contact:
Jacqui Donachy, Beattie Communications, 01698 787843/ jacqui.donachy@beattiegroup.com
Joanna Wilson, Beattie Communications, 01698 787847/ joanna.wilson@beattiegroup.com

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