Harry Aldridge works at igus, a manufacturer of technical products made of high-performance plastics. This involves working with customers to configure robotic systems, responding to customer queries and assembling robots from the the ground up in kit form. Here, Student Circuit highlights the value of apprenticeships using Harry as shining example.
Harry is studying a level 3 Business Administration course, involving learning how to develop and manage a business effectively. Harry’s studies for his apprenticeship completely online with a local course provider, meaning he doesn’t have to physically attend a college on his study days at igus. It is an 18 month course, after which, Harry will have a nationally recognised qualification which he can use as a stepping-stone to move onto the next chapter of his education, a level 6 apprenticeship. By the end of his apprenticeship, Harry hopes to be a fully trained automation engineer along with a complete level 6 degree qualification. Alongside this, he will have fives years’ experience working with igus in the low cost automation department.
Unlike many, Harry cannot recall a specific moment that sparked his initial interest in STEM, just that its been something that has always been a huge part of his life. “Some of my earliest memories are from me playing with Lego and watching my dad tinker with his cars. In school I loved attending after school STEM clubs and entering DT competitions with other schools, as well as working own my own DIY projects at home in the evenings and weekends,” Harry said.
His man interest in engineering has always been seeing how things work. Whether it’s reading it up online or taking something apart and working it out it has always fascinated Harry. Getting the chance to work out how things work allows him to learn how to repair them when they go wrong which is hugely beneficial for when working on projects at work and at home.
When choosing his apprenticeship, Harry received a great amount of support from his family and school teachers: “My family saw through the type of hobbies I engaged in at the weekend that I needed a practical job where I could work on new projects and express my ideas. My teachers saw the same in me, seeing that I was always itching to get on my feet and try out my own ideas such as practical experiments in the science lab,” he said.
No two days are the same for Harry working at igus. Each day he works on different projects, speaks to different people and visits different places. “When I was younger, I always promised myself I would find myself a job that wouldn’t involve the same old tasks every day, but a job where I can explore new places and ideas with,” Harry exclaimed.
Harry’s apprenticeship hasn’t come without its challenges. He had to re-write a robot with no guidance or instructions to follow. The robot model was brand new and had only just been released meaning there was no instruction manual written for it. igus in the UK ordered and received one of the first prototype robots, however when it arrived there was a multitude of problems that needed to be addressed. The cables fitted were the wrong type and the entire robot had not been wired to its control box.
Harry spent the next five days removing the old cables and wires and wiring in the correct ones, then connecting the motors and encoders to the robots central cabinet. With only a limited knowledge of wiring at the time, this was a massively daunting task and Harry fell into countless problems along the way. Nevertheless, through trial and error Harry identified and overcame the issues one by one and got the robot into its correct fully functioning state. The robot has now been sold to a customer who has reported positive feedback without any issues.
Whilst able to recognise the value of full-time work or full-time university, Harry knew this wasn’t for him. Doing an apprenticeship meant that Harry could enjoy the benefits of both of these simultaneously, being able to study and gain a degree, and work full-time.
So far, Harry’s biggest achievement in his academic career was being granted the opportunity to travel to Germany to complete an automation technology training programme at the igus LCA Academy. He said: “The entire experience of studying while living abroad was incredible, and I learnt new skills from the academy that I apply to my job role back here in the UK on a daily basis.”
Harry has got involved in Student Circuit to spread awareness to other young people of the amazing opportunities that apprenticeships offer. Many believe that university is the only option available. “While university is a great option for some, for others an apprenticeship suits their needs better. They just haven’t heard enough about them,” Harry said.
Harry hopes to share his story of how he landed his dream job through an apprenticeship, and how others can do the same due to the diversity of different types of apprenticeships that have become available in recent years.
