Rob, Siemens’ latest apprentice, knows exactly what he wants to do when he graduates – work in heavy industry. Along with four other apprentices, he started his apprenticeship last September. He has been influenced by the engineering culture at Siemens’ Leeds factory, which assembles, maintains and repairs mechanical drive units for many of the UK’s biggest and most successful industries. “I have really enjoyed my first year’s apprenticeship,” he says.

Rob and his fellow apprentices can find themselves working on anything from a wind turbine unit to a food industry gearbox or a coupling for an aggregates application. Rob says the most diverse work is to be found on the heavy industry side. “The work is varied and challenging, and it gives me valuable engineering experience alongside my college course,” he says.

Rob is studying for his ONC in mechanical engineering and manufacturing – a two-year course. He will then study for a further two years to gain his HNC in the same subject. As the course progresses, he will spend more time at Siemens working on live projects.