An employee at a Swindon-based engineering company has shared how he started his career with an apprenticeship after completing his A-Levels.

With students receiving their exam results on Thursday (August 15), Sam Tuttle has shared his journey since joining Fundamentals in 2018.

He joined as an apprentice after achieving A-levels in geography, PE and IT.

After completing his four-year block release apprenticeship as an electrical technician, where he earned an EAL Level 3 NVQ Electrotechnical Qualification, he has recently been promoted to a lead role in a site engineering team.

He said: "I am very happy I took the apprentice route and got into this industry. It means I will always have a job - but more importantly a long-term career.

"The block release worked well for me. For four years, I worked for three weeks and then had one week in college allowing me to gain both practical skills and theoretical knowledge in electronics.

"If I had gone down the university road, I would have come out with a massive debt and no trade qualification.

"As it is, I now have experience and qualifications to run important site jobs all over the country for companies like National Grid – plus I work with a great team. It feels like being part of a family."

Dr Jon Hiscock, CEO of Fundamentals, said students should "consider the opportunities that apprenticeships can unlock", especially in high-growth industries facing a skills shortage.

According to the Institution of Engineering and Technology, there is a shortage of around 173,000 engineers.

Dr Hiscock said this shortage is "only expected to increase" in industries such as energy and electricity as the transition to net zero continues.

He continued: "Hundreds of thousands more jobs are being created in everything from wind and solar generation to energy distribution, storage and green hydrogen.

"Companies like ours are increasingly offering a wide range of training and apprenticeship schemes for A-Level leavers, which combine paid work with on the job learning and further education.

"And there are multiple options for gaining engineering-related qualifications in technical schools and colleges.

“For those students who want an interesting career with good prospects, and have a leaning towards STEM subjects, an apprenticeship in engineering could be a great fit.

"It equips school-leavers with the skills and qualifications to develop a worthwhile career and contribute to the nation’s economic prosperity - and green agenda.”