Angus’s Next Chapter is an Apprenticeship

Angus left Sedbergh with outstanding BTEC results. Rather than follow a traditional university route, he chose a hands-on pathway into engineering. Now, four weeks into his apprenticeship with SCOT-JCB, the UK’s largest machine dealer, he is already out on site tackling complex repairs and travelling across Scotland. At Sedbergh, Angus combined his academic studies with sport, agriculture, and design technology, and he credits this broad experience — along with the support of his teachers — with preparing him to step confidently into the world of work.

What thoughts went through your mind when you received your results?

I was pretty confident in the run-up to results day and only really started to feel nervous on the morning of my results. When I received my results, I was thrilled, feeling pretty chuffed with myself.

How are you feeling about starting your Apprenticeship at JCB Plant Machinery? What are you looking forward to?

I started at SCOT-JCB on the 28th of July and had been there two weeks when I received my results, and I have now been at SCOT-JCB for four weeks. When I was just starting at SCOT-JCB, I was nervous that I would be stuck doing simple, monotonous tasks for weeks, but within my first week I had already been out in vans with engineers visiting sites and doing complex repairs. I am looking forward to learning how everything works and getting onto larger jobs. I will also get to visit all areas of Scotland, as my depot will send vans down to Girvan in Ayrshire and across into the Borders, as well as up into the Highlands and Islands.

Are there any Sedbergh staff or programmes that have really helped you to achieve your goals?

There are many staff who have helped me massively in reaching my goals. The whole DT department, with Mr Parker, Mr Arnold, and Mr Scarr, really helped me make my DT project succeed and become a reality, even though I took over most of the metalworking area.

Going out to the farm with Mrs Lewis was always a highlight and it was always good to talk to her about my future pathways and checking my CV.

Mr McVoy was another incredible help and was always willing to offer advice when I was applying for my apprenticeships.

What has Sedbergh School taught you that will guide you as you start your apprenticeship?

My Agriculture BTEC course taught me a lot about health and safety and other legislation, which has helped massively while completing my induction health and safety training.

When did you decide to pursue an apprenticeship? Was that always your plan?

I have always wanted to follow an alternative pathway out of school. I was undecided about going straight into work or getting an apprenticeship, so I decided to let fate decide! I applied to a few apprenticeships and decided that I would go for an apprenticeship if I was offered one, or I would go straight into a job if I didn’t get an apprenticeship.

What advice would you give to another pupil looking at this pathway – or unsure about what to do?

I would say to get plenty of work experience and get yourself a CV written early, around October or November. This is especially important within the trade sector, as experience is worth double what grades are.

There are no set application dates when apprenticeships open, so you need to be on the ball with what firms are advertising. Some places might not be planning on taking an apprentice on but would happily accept a CV for when they are taking on new staff.

What subjects did you study?

• BTEC Agriculture
• BTEC Information Technology
• A Level Design Technology