When I came to end of my study and had completed my course, my employer, NPE-Tech, sat me down and offered me a FD&A apprenticeship in their Fire Division. I had always been interested in technology and the electrical manager said 'you will walk around the corner and see 10 electricians, but not one Fire Technician who can sign off a building warrant of fitness (BWOF), keep buildings open and operating, and pretty much save people's lives.' That pretty much sold me on becoming a fire alarm technican. During my study, I would spend a couple of days working in the Fire Division – and I’ve been here ever since. I’ve not regretted changing trades one bit.
It's certainly nice gaining knowledge about your career while making money and studying for a qualification. Once I started on a paper it was actually quite enjoyable learning, nailing the questions and finishing it in one or two sittings!
Doing an apprenticeship was great, knowing I was working my way towards a qualification, getting paid as I was learning, not racking up any debts at all and thoroughly enjoying every day on the job! It's also really good getting hands-on with all kinds of tools and equipment which give you skills that will last a lifetime.
