Will Maule

What is your job title and department?
I am a Technician in the Level Crossings Team, currently studying for the Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship at Leeds Beckett University.

Why did you decide to pursue an apprenticeship?
I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do when I finished my GCSE’s. I had planned to stay at school and do my A-levels but a family friend who also works at SYSTRA got in touch to see if I would be interested in applying for an apprenticeship. After speaking to him and having a look into the company, I decided that it was something that I wanted to do and the idea of being paid to study and gain experience in the workplace at the same time appealed to me.

What is the best part of your apprenticeship?
I would say the best parts of the apprenticeship are:

1. Being paid to study.
2. Being able to see the things that you are learning at college/university first-hand in the workplace and gaining the practical experience as well as the theory behind it.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?
I would definitely recommend the apprenticeship route to someone who is considering it. Although the overall length of the studying side of things may be longer, the industry experience that is gained alongside this is invaluable. Also, although it’s hard work at times to fit studying around day to day work, the positives far outweigh the negatives and the few years extra at university/college is 100% worth it.