“The apprenticeship is just the start of things, is the way I see it…”

…as statements of intent go this one demonstrates succinctly why manufacturing apprentice, Jonathan Hill, has done so well in his role to date.

“It inspires me that there are senior members of the business that started their careers as apprentices. I hope this can be the first step in a successful career for me also”.

Based in Templecombe, Jonny started with Thales in September 2013 and has gone from strength to strength. From the area originally, the 15 minute morning commute has only added to Jonny’s positive and ambitious outlook on the time he has spent as an apprentice. After committing to his first year, as all Thales apprentices do, at his local college (in Yeovil), he has now entered the business proper and has dipped his toe in a number of fields within Thales Underwater Systems, a part of the business which manufactures a range of sonar and sensors that equip the Royal Navy fleet and other international navies.

“[I] wanted to get straight into it and start working on things I enjoy” Jonny says of his decision to choose an apprenticeship route. “I had offers [for apprenticeships] across the board, from plumbing to electrical, but it was the engineering aspect of it all that really excited me” After that first year at college, his baptism in the business came in the form of six months working in wiring, soldering and testing on “modular bow”. After this, it was on to electrical manufacturing work, on some of Thales’s towed body products and then a testing role for the same family of products.

Having favoured the electrical manufacturing elements of his roles so far, Jonny is philosophical but excited about what comes next, “I’m still fresh and new in my current role so it is too early to tell [which is my favourite role]. But there is not one area that I haven’t enjoyed. I really enjoy every aspect of work so far”. Jonny’s enthusiasm comes off of him in waves, and you can really tell that he is here because he truly wants to be.

On why he sees apprenticeships as important to the business, Jonny says “It’s great to know that apprentices can be seen as a driving force within the business coming up through the ranks. You really feel like you are going to be the future of the company and that really excites me” Jonny is right. With the joining of the 5% club, Thales has committed to having 5% of its workforce comprising of apprentices, graduates and interns, something which the business had already achieved upon entry into this club. There really is a sense of investment in the future.

“It inspires me that there are senior members of the business that started their careers as apprentices. I hope this can be the first step in a successful career for me also”.

Of his involvement with a number of careers fairs and outreach opportunities in the local area, Jonny says, “Anything which is toward promoting the company is something that I want to get involved with. I am all for it”. He seems keen to share his enthusiasm with the future generation of engineers and with any luck he will do just that.