Experience Helps Aston Decide Trade Route

We often hear about young people making a ‘plan b’ in case results day doesn’t go as expected.   And whilst, for many, this means what they are going to do if they don’t get on the pathway to university, for  SERC student Aston Doyle, ‘plan b’ meant going to university, if he didn’t get to follow the trade route he wanted.

Aston, (19), from Dundonald, completed his GCSEs in Dundonald High School.   He says, “I was keen to do a trade, but I really didn’t know what to do, so I applied for plumbing, joinery and electrical courses.   My football coach is a plumber, so I asked him if I could come along for some work experience to see what plumbing would be like.  That experience helped me decide plumbing was for me, so I enrolled on the Level 2 Traineeship NI in Plumbing at SERC’s Newtownards Campus."

Aston continues, “The Level 2 Traineeship gave me all the foundation skills I needed to progress to a Level 3 Apprenticeship NI in Plumbing.  I am employed by GS Plumbing & Heating, based in Dundonald, and work four days a week and then I am in SERC one day each week.   I will start the fourth - and final year - of my Apprenticeship this September."

Asked if he had considered any other pathways, Aston says, “I did think about university, but I was keen to do a trade.  If that hadn’t worked out, then I was going to do some other course that would take me to university. Right now, I am working to achieve my Apprenticeship, gain more experience and progress in the workplace. I will certainly look at the Higher-Level Apprenticeship as I am keen to gain as many qualifications as possible.   As with any trade, things change and develop, so you are learning all the time.”

Recognised with a Traineeship NI Award from the Department for the Economy last year for personal achievement, exceptional progress and commitment, Aston concludes, “I would recommend both the Traineeship and the Apprenticeship routes as you are gaining the necessary experience, and you are learning all the time.   When you are in the workplace, you come upon all kinds of problems and have to find solutions there and then. It is easier to learn about solving the problems when you have that hands-on experience.”