Meet Jamie, our process controller

Jamie says what’s great about being an apprentice is he still has his independence while learning and working towards being a qualified process controller with industry recognised qualifications.

How did you find your apprenticeship?

I heard about the apprenticeship through a good friend. He was already an apprenticeship at United Utilities and told me about the work and the benefits – he sold the company to me.

What attracted you to the position?

I wanted a new opportunity and a challenge to kick-start a career that would have options to progress and move forward.

How did you find the recruitment process?  

The recruitment process was thorough and when I found myself having technical difficulties the recruitment team were really accommodating helped me out.

What advice would you give to somebody applying for the apprenticeship scheme?

Just go for it, if nothing happens you’re not in a worse off position. If anything you’ve got more experience and it’s something you can learn from and take into the future. If you succeed and get the job, then it’s the next chapter of your life.

If somebody was debating between starting an apprenticeship or going to university, what would your advice be?

It’s life choice for the next three to four years so you’ve got to do what’s right for yourself. At the same time, I can’t sell the apprenticeship scheme enough to people, the job, the banter, the company, the variety of work, the people I work with – it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done.

Have you seen any benefits of completing an apprenticeship for your future development?

Yes, I would say so. Being able to learn whilst also earning money has been great considering I joined from already working. It’s meant that I haven’t lost my independence but I still get to learn and work towards being a qualified process controller with industry recognised qualifications. One thing I remember saying on my first day, that I’m still reminded of every time I go to the training centre is, “this job changed my life” and it has most certainly for the better.