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Leo Gibson, 20, describes his Fabrication apprenticeship as “the best thing I’ve done” and after enrolling with Hartlepool College of Further Education, he’s come to learn that an apprenticeship was an ideal route for him and he encourages others to seriously consider it too.

Leo said,

“On this apprenticeship, you do plating and welding, so it’s two jobs in one. I like how one day you’re looking at drawings and the next day you’re welding it!”  

“The college are great, they are really supportive and they keep you on your toes but in a good way; letting you know about opportunities they think might be good for you too”.

“What’s been really good is that it’s not just the job you learn, you learn how to talk to different types of people and communicate in different ways”; a key part of a professional life that Leo has taken well to, mentioning how well he gets on with the team at Cleveland Bridge.

Working at Cleveland Bridge since January 2019, Leo still has a few years left before he completes his apprenticeship, but he highly recommends the business as a great place to be.

“The range of projects and materials, and the size of the infrastructure here is great.

“You work with a Competence Pack so you can see areas of work you can do more in to learn more, or areas that you’ve completed a lot so have a lot of experience. It really keeps you focussed which is great”.

When asked would he recommend an apprenticeship route to other learners he didn’t hesitate to say yes.

The combination of it being “an actual job, really hands on and lots of experience straight away” was key for him.

He said although he knew what he wanted to do whilst he was at school, a summer induction at the College was what sparked his interest, with the impressive facilities and knowledgeable staff that led him to sign on the dotted line which has started his career with Cleveland Bridge.

Leo left Dyke House School in Hartlepool before enrolling with the college to take on his apprenticeship, and hopes to continue his career in Fabrication after he completes his course and upcoming HNC qualification also.

Congratulations Leo, keep up the good work!