A few years ago Aaron Gillespie could never have imagined he'd be a college lecturer but that's exactly where he finds himself today and it's all thanks to an apprenticeship.
The Co Armagh man completed a Level 2 and Level 3 Apprenticeship in wall and floor tiling at Southern Regional College and has been working in the industry for the past two years. He also now teaches at SRC's Greenbank campus.
Aaron, 20 and from Killylea, shared his story to mark Apprenticeship Week 2023 and highlight the importance of apprenticeships to generating economic growth in Northern Ireland.
Read more: Co Down mum turns life around after leaving school with no qualifications
The Department for the Economy and Further Education Colleges are encouraging people and employers to think about how an apprenticeship might benefit them or their business, particularly in strengthening Northern Ireland’s skills base to meet the demands of employers across a range of sectors.
Aaron got involved in the Skillbuild and WorldSkills competitions while he was studying at SRC and got as far as the WorldSkills finals in Italy last November, finishing in the top 10.
He honed his skills under the supervision of the college’s industry expert teaching staff, facilitating him to compete at such a high level in the area of wall and floor tiling.
The ‘WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition’ was the official replacement for WorldSkills Shanghai 2022, cancelled last May due to the pandemic. Instead, 62 skill competitions were held over 12 weeks in 15 countries and regions.
In 2019, Aaron was awarded third place in the National Finals at WorldSkills and in November 2021 he successfully won first place in the Wall and Floor Tiling category at the National Finals.
Aaron’s success and talent in the field of wall and flooring tiling led to him being offered a lecturing position at Southern Regional College where he now passes his wealth of knowledge onto future students who are following in his footsteps.
He said: "When you looked at me in secondary school, you wouldn't have thought that the same man would end up being a college lecturer in five or six years' time.
"Academically, I didn't do as well as I'd have liked in my GCSEs but the apprenticeship route focuses more on your practical skills with only a small amount of theory.
"That proved to be the right path for me to take and even though a lot of people told me I didn't need to do an apprenticeship to get a job, three years down the line, I would not be in a teaching job now without it.
"I'm now passing on all I've learned through my training and apprenticeship to the next generation and believe it or not they do take it in! There are so many different kinds of apprenticeships out there in lots of subjects and the one that suits you will come along."
A number of events will take place throughout this week to showcase the types of apprenticeships available in the Further Education Colleges and how those apprenticeships are changing to meet the needs of new and emerging sectors like cybersecurity, fintech, IT and advanced manufacturing.
The number of apprenticeships has grown following the pandemic and the Department’s 10X Economic Vision places an emphasis on investing in Northern Ireland’s skills base so that citizens are equipped with the skills they need in a fast moving economic climate.
Louise Warde Hunter, Chair of the Further Education Principal’s Group, said: “Apprenticeships play an important part in economic development by providing people with qualifications along with crucial on the job training that means they are work ready as soon as they finish their course.
“That combination of relevant knowledge and practical know-how is invaluable to employers and means that students are gaining employment in well paid jobs once they are qualified.
“The Colleges already work with more than 9,000 employers, identifying skill gaps and designing courses tailored to meet the needs of businesses and employers.
“Colleges will be fundamental to implementing the exciting development ahead with the introduction of All Age Apprenticeships later this year, aimed at supporting those people who might be thinking about a career change.”
Clement Athanasiou, Director of Apprenticeships, Careers and Vocational Education at the Department for the Economy, added: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to develop the skills and knowledge needed by our economy, whilst earning and setting your career on a strong footing for the future.
“NI Apprenticeship Week showcases the benefits of apprenticeships and the wide range of opportunities that exist right across Northern Ireland.
“I would encourage potential participants, parents and employers to take part and find out how apprenticeships can work for them.”
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