Apprenticeship Route Proves Perfect Study Path for Dylan

Following his GCSEs at Lisnagarvey High School, Dylan (21) from Lisburn, completed the Level 3 Electrical Engineering course at SERC, before securing employment with Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company as part of his current HLA in Mechatronics course at SERC.  

Dylan comments, “The HLA means I am employed by Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company and study one day a week at SERC. My job in the maintenance department involves ensuring production machinery runs properly and making repairs where needed. The work is enjoyable and the whole team is very experienced and keen to pass on their knowledge and skills. My manager and line manager are very supportive and keen to see myself and other SERC apprentices succeed.” 

“The HLA gives you plenty of options for employment, and I also have the option to go onto university if I want. It’s a huge benefit completing your qualification in partnership with your employer and the college, as you are qualified in industry standard practice – getting three years’ experience and a Level 5 qualification at the same time looks great on a CV.” 

On his time at SERC, Dylan comments, “I love the interactive and practical elements of the course, especially the Multisim program component and the maths. There is also a work-based learning component which means I get graded on the actual work I do for an employer.”  

He added, “The lecturers are always available for a chat about the course topics. They are genuinely interested in you succeeding and are passionate about the work they do, and I think that’s because a lot of the tutors at SERC have come from the industry – which means students are getting taught by people with real experience and knowledge in their course areas.  

“If you are looking to go down a trades route, I would highly recommend SERC – the industry expert lecturers provide a massive benefit. I’d encourage people to do their research and think about what course they want to go for. If you are not sure, come in and speak to the careers team about your options – the service is open to anyone in the community, you don’t have to be enrolled on a course. Overall, I’ve found SERC a great place to study.” 

If you're interested in learning more about Higher Level Apprenticeships or other part-time courses, come along to SERC on Wednesday 7 June between 5pm and 8pm at the College’s Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn, Newtownards and Newcastle Campuses for our Adult Education Open Evening.

Visit www.serc.ac.uk to Learning never stops #BetterOffAtSERC.