About Ged…
When Ged Ashcroft left school, he fell into whatever work he could get. Roofing, packing boxes and fence paneling all featured on his roster until a chance reference to an apprenticeship changed his outlook, and his life!
School life for Ged was a bit of a struggle until he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. At this point, he began to realise why working with numbers and words didn’t come naturally to him.
While diagnosis helped Ged to find ways to overcome the areas that challenged him, it did not give him the confidence he needed to think positively about a future career. This was hampered further when he became a victim of knife crime; added to his shoulders was the stigma associated with a scar on his face!
Ged comments:
“I genuinely had little confidence about my future when I left school. Struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD, combined with an unfortunate incident that left me with a facial scar, did nothing for my self-belief.
“But those close to me knew I had real potential, even though at first I did not recognise this in myself. A friend mentioned an exciting new apprenticeship that was starting at the college where she worked. While I didn’t really know much about the role itself, it sounded exciting – so I decided to apply.
“I was really hesitant at first. I didn’t really understand the role of a pipeline inspector, and I was concerned that my ADHD and dyslexia would be an issue.”
Ged’s time on the apprenticeship…
Ged was successful in his application to join the ‘Practitioner in Pipelines for Hydrogen and Utilities’ (PIPHU) programme in September 2023, an apprenticeship funded by IACS Ltd and designed and delivered in partnership with Hopwood Hall College in Manchester, TWI and Hydrogen Safe.
PIPHU was designed by IACS to address the skills gap that was impacting on the pipeline industry. The company’s ambition was to deliver a new generation of pipeline inspectors – of which Ged is one!
Ged adds:
“The IACS apprenticeship wasn’t easy, but it was an amazing experience. My initial concerns were unfounded. The infrastructure in place was encouraging in every way, which meant I could be honest and open about my ADHD and dyslexia from the very start. The IACS and college teams genuinely want the very best for you, which made my experience a positive one – it was a very supportive journey.
“I had to get my head down and work hard. I had to learn how to switch from studying and thinking to applying all my insight into work on live sites.
“Being part of a team of apprentices really helped; we were all in the same boat, experiencing similar struggles. But each apprentice was different; some knew more from previous roles and knew the environment, so we all just helped each other if we could. We have become a tight-knit team and will be friends for life.”
During the apprenticeship…
As part of the PIPHU programme, each apprentice progresses through several inspection tickets, which include welding inspection, coating inspection, magnetic particle inspection, and ultrasonic testing.
He adds:
“The real challenge for me was what you couldn’t really learn in the classroom, and that was how to relate to people on site. At the end of the day, I was working alongside very experienced people, so inspecting their work isn’t always the easiest thing to do.
“But, when you get to the point where senior pipeline inspectors are requesting you by name, it's an amazing feeling, and you know then that the hard work is paying off.”
Winning the award…
Ged’s commitment was recognised in the summer of 2025, when he picked up the Apprentice of the Year (Level 2/3) accolade at the GMSkills Awards. Here, the judges recognised how Ged had overcome adversity to excel in his programme.
Ged concludes:
Joining the IACS PIPHU apprenticeship has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I enjoy the way we have learnt, am confident and know exactly where I want to be, and that’s at the highest level in inspection.
“This apprenticeship, and being a part of the IACS team, has changed my life and my outlook. What I would say to anyone struggling with self-belief is that you are capable of anything and you can become whatever you want to be.”
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.
