Building skills for life through an Engineering Apprenticeship at Direct Air

I chose the apprenticeship route because I wanted to gain qualifications in a trade while building real, hands-on experience at the same time. It also gave me the benefit of a stable routine with regular working hours, which was important to me. Learning in a practical setting has helped me develop both skills and confidence much faster than I would have in a purely classroom-based environment.

Most days start with meeting the engineer on-site and helping get the materials and tools we need for the job from the van or site box. Once we’re set up, the client will usually walk us through the job, or we’ll refer to schematic drawings. The engineer might assign me specific sections to work on independently, while others we’ll tackle together.

My tasks can vary throughout the day , I might be prepping fittings, cutting pipework to size, or getting brackets ready. I also handle things like pre-taping threaded fittings so everything’s ready to go. It’s a real mix, and every job brings something different.

What I really enjoy is the trust that’s placed in me, not just by the engineers I work with, but also by the clients we’re doing work for. That kind of responsibility pushes me to keep improving. I also enjoy the challenge, no two installations are the same, and each one has its own requirements, which keeps things interesting and keeps me learning.

College has taught me how to approach problems logically and accurately, being precise and thinking critically has become second nature. On the job, I’m learning practical skills every day from experienced engineers, and those lessons will stick with me. These combined experiences are giving me the tools I need to build a strong foundation for a successful career in engineering.