Maths was Cole’s favourite subject at school, but the numbers just didn’t add up when he embarked on his level three accountancy apprenticeship.
While he enjoyed the way of learning, the office environment and the limited progression plan just weren’t for him! So, Cole set out to find an apprenticeship that suited him.
Cole explained:
“I was halfway through my accountancy apprenticeship, and I just wasn’t motivated – it was a programme that was taking too long, and I realised that it just wasn’t for me. I was at a point where I knew what I did and did not want, so I took the difficult decision to look for something new.”
Cole’s criteria was specific. He wanted a role that was different. While he was desperate to try something new, it had to feed into his analytical mindset. Being outdoors and earning a good wage were non-negotiables, alongside a timely transition to being qualified.
Ticking all his boxes was the IACS Apprenticeship; he joined cohort two of the ‘Practitioner in Pipelines for Hydrogen and Utilities’ (PIPHU) programme in February 2024.
“I chose the IACS apprenticeship because it was different,” commented Cole.
“The programme shared was ambitious, but it was compact. So, I knew that within a couple of years I would be qualified. It also meant travelling away from home, which appealed to me initially, but took some time to get used to.”
As part of the PIPHU programme, each apprentice progresses through several inspection tickets, this includes welding inspection, coating inspection, magnetic particle inspection, and ultrasonic testing.
Cole explains:
“Our learning takes place at Hopwood Hall College and on site, where we shadow and are mentored through each ticket.
“It is tough, and some of our tickets are harder than others, but when you are on a live site, we can put our learning into practice. There is always someone onsite to answer questions, and the IACS team are only ever a phone call away.
“Passing exams is a great feeling, but for me, what stands out is the experience that we gain along the way. That’s all down to IACS. Accessing sites, working and learning in this way should never be taken for granted.”
So, with such a positive experience, would he recommend the role and apprenticeship and what advice would an almost qualified Cole give?
“This whole journey has helped me to develop as a person. I am more confident and am looking forward to what’s next. It’s a role that I would 100 per cent recommend and everyone is really friendly, but you need to be happy working away.”
Cole adds:
“From the apprenticeship perspective, I feel that this is the best way to learn after all, you are getting paid, are in a real-life situation and not just the classroom!”
About the apprenticeship…
The ‘Practitioner in Pipelines for Hydrogen and Utilities’ (PIPHU) programme is derived from the Construction Support Technician apprenticeship standard. It provides a mixture of classroom-based learning at Hopwood Hall College and University Centre with practical on-site experience.
Each apprentice starts on a competitive salary, with opportunities to achieve performance-related incentives. Successful apprentices are offered a permanent role at IACS Ltd upon completion of the PIPHU apprenticeship.
