I had a number of options when I left school, and although it was something I could have done, further education just wasn’t for me and the thought of student debts wasn’t overly appealing.
To be fair, I didn’t know I was destined for a career in NDT, but I always had an interest in engineering. The whole NDT option came through a friend of a friend, but after seeing what a career in NDT could offer, I quickly made up my mind, that it was the career for me.
The real benefit for me is working on the ‘coal face’ and gaining the hands on experience that higher and further education couldn’t provide. Another benefit is that I am getting a great understanding as to how an organisation works from all angles so it is a real rounded approach to my training.
If you are leaving school I would definitely recommend looking at all your options, whilst becoming an apprentice may not seem right for you, for me it’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
Christian Beever NDT Apprentice IMechE Argyll Raune
