During my adolescence, I did not particularly gravitate towards academia despite attending grammar school. Instead, I developed a keen interest in tinkering with cars, which ignited my pursuit for an apprenticeship. I wanted to attain practical skills and avoid office-based work. After applying to several companies, I secured a cable jointer position with the North Eastern Electricity Board in York.
I thrived in this role, relishing in the tasks of digging holes and repairing cables for the first decade of my working life. This experience allowed me to learn how people think and what motivates them. With age, I have realized that people are the foundation of all things in the business world. The better one interacts with people, the more successful their company will be.
Although I appreciate the importance of higher education, there is something invaluable about working through the night in unpleasant weather. Such experiences build an emotional connection with colleagues and excite new interests and opportunities.
Today’s apprenticeships differ greatly from those that were available in the 1970s. At North Gas Networks, we offer a modular three-year course that trains apprentices to become craftspeople and transition into other parts of the business.
Arguably, stigma surrounding apprenticeships has entirely disappeared. Even my youngest daughter, who is finishing college, is interested in pursuing an apprenticeship. One of my significant contributions as CEO of North Gas Networks was to extend the age limit for apprentices to thirty years old. This allowed us to employ highly-skilled ex-armed forces personnel. Furthermore, many of our employees started as apprentices and now hold senior management positions.
Ultimately, my apprenticeship experience has taught me to be adaptable to change and view the entirety of a situation. Northern Gas Networks is presently undergoing a significant industry transformation to achieve the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which requires innovative solutions. Hence, I am advocating for hydrogen as an alternative fuel.
I encourage companies that do not have apprenticeship programs to reconsider as it provides an opportunity to build a diverse team that can bring a wide range of skills and experiences to the workplace.
