From apprentice to 1st Class Honours, via the hard route
Leeds, UK, September 2, 2008 -
To graduate with a first class honours degree is commendable, but to accomplish this through part-time study from GCSEs upwards and whilst working five days a week is exceptional and has won 29 year old Matthew Thompson the company’s Extra Mile Gold Award worth £500.
Electrical design engineer Matthew, who joined Airedale as an apprentice on leaving school at 16, has gained a 1st Class Honours degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Leeds Metropolitan University this summer.
With Airedale’s support in funding his courses and day release, Matthew took the route of NVQ Level 2 in Engineering & Manufacture to honours degree, over a span of nearly 10 years of study. He collected seven other qualifications along the way, including his 4 year EMTA Modern Apprenticeship.
Says Airedale managing director Clive Parkman: “The Gold Award recognises Matthew’s success through sustained hard work and determination. To take on repeated challenges since he was 16, as he has done, requires immense resilience and enthusiasm. He deserves all the success coming to him which, if he continues as he has been, I am sure will be plentiful.
“The Extra Mile Awards reward outstanding performance and achievement from the shop floor to senior management. The opportunity is there for other apprentices who want to take on that challenge. We currently have eight apprentices training within the company; four in our mainstream business and four in our service and maintenance division. As a leading air conditioning manufacturer, we are committed to attracting new blood into the company through a very comprehensive apprentice scheme which can lead to management development and then ultimately a supervisory role within our organisation.”
Now part of Airedale’s electrical product development team, Matthew is involved with the electrical design and development of chiller and other cooling systems.
Says Matthew: “At school I was interested in electronics and constructing things and so engineering was the natural step to take. I looked at local companies and Airedale was the only one offering an apprenticeship scheme. With Airedale’s backing, I was able to study part-time for the courses which I would otherwise have had to do full time. Both shop floor and office-based staff including my team managers, director of engineering Bill Coates and senior controls engineer Duncan Hitchcox, have been instrumental in my learning curve. Their time and support is much appreciated.
“Initially I thought I would only do the basic training, but I kept going. It was a challenge to step up to each level. Similarly in my work at Airedale I look forward to the challenge of new developments. Looking ahead I plan to gain incorporated engineering status with the Institute of Engineering Technology.”
Contact: marketing@airedale.com
