Jamie Timmins has been with Whale Tankers for ten years, completing his apprenticeship back in 2004. Now a qualified welder and fitter for the company, the tables have turned and Jamie is responsible for the mentorship of the firm’s current apprentices. We caught up with Jamie to see what life was like post-graduation.

Thanks for joining us today Jamie. Let’s start at the beginning, why did you choose an apprenticeship?

Because I was more interested in working than going to university but I did want to further my education.

So you never considered going to university?

No, I wanted to learn a trade and have the qualifications to fall back on so an apprenticeship was the only way forward for me.

And did the scheme help you achieve your goals?

Yes definitely. I believe the combination of practical experience along with the qualification really does help you in your working life.

That’s great to hear. So what is it that you do now?

I work on the chassis’ and the tanks to get them ready for testing. I’m now also working with the other apprentices to help with their training and generally improve our scheme 

I assume you approve of the apprenticeship scheme then?

I really do believe apprenticeships are a step in the right direction. In the job I do there are a lot of different products that you need to know about and understanding how they work is key. Without the practical side of the apprenticeship I feel that I would have struggled.

Solid advice. Thanks for your time Jamie.

Jamie proves how valuable an apprentice can become to an organisation and even use their experiences to help shape the future of others. Please see our website for further information on becoming an apprentice.