My apprenticeship experience so far

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Ethan Lee, a former UTC Swindon student, secured a prestigious apprenticeship last summer with leading engineering consultancy, Method Consulting.

Two months into his role as a Junior CAD Technician, we caught up with Ethan to see how he was getting on…

“So far, it has been brilliant” he said, “It is far more than I expected. I knew from the atmosphere when I was interviewed here that although everyone is very busy it would be a relaxed environment to work in and that was exactly right. In addition to that, there is always something going on besides the projects themselves, whether it is extra training on offer or a social/charitable activity taking place. My personal favourite is the after-hours football!”

As a Junior CAD Technician, Ethan prepares drawings using the latest CAD software, AutoCad. Ethan says “I liaise with the architects and contractors on unique building projects to ensure we have the right information to prepare drawings for our clients. An exciting project to work on was a very well known celebrities house in the South West of England!

During his studies at UTC Swindon, Ethan attended the career advice sessions. Various companies were showcased, along with their apprenticeship offers, but it was the Method presentation that really sparked Ethan’s interest.

“I’ve always had a keen interest in engineering, and technology but in particular, working with specialist design software including modelling software previously introduced to me by my college. The role at Method directly fitted the bill and offers to support my education in Building Services. Besides this, they are quite a young company, with most of my now co-workers being between 20 and 30 years old, which has made it easy to relate to others and fit in.”

“I credit my time at UTC Swindon in helping me prepare for this opportunity. The working day at the UTC certainly prepared me for working a 9-5 job, and we were also expected to act like adults, but were treated with respect; this helped me to develop a realistic working rapport. Without the UTC I would never have had the opportunity to study for my BTEC Levels 1-3 and get an apprenticeship with Method, or get to where I am now.”

Looking ahead, Ethan plans to continue learning in this industry, and expanding on his skills.

“As a Junior/Apprentice Technician, I am currently being supported in studying for a Level 4 BTEC in Building Services, and will have the chance to progress to Level 6 – this is the equivalent to a Masters at university!”

“Eventually I would like to become proficient in Autodesk Revit, which is the 3D modelling version of AutoCad and Building Information Modelling (BIM), to become an integral member of Method.”

We wish Ethan the best of luck and are looking forward to keeping up to date with his progress.

About Method

Method Consulting is a specialist engineering and sustainability consultancy focusing on building services and sustainability in the built environment.

Method works closely with architects, builders and developers all over the UK on a range of new build and refurbishment projects working from design stage right through to completion.

Projects include those in the Commercial, Industrial, Retail, Residential, Offices, Schools, Leisure and Healthcare sectors.