Case study 1

Case study 1 - Paul Mochan

Sector: Science and engineering
Name of company: Thales Optronics
Work area based: Govan, Glasgow
Individual name: Paul Mochan
Age: 19
Job title: Apprentice Manufacturing Engineer
Home area: East Kilbride
School/college/university: St Brides High School and Langside College

Career path
• Left school at the end of 5th year with 8 Standard Grades, a B pass for Intermediate 2 maths and a C pass for higher History
• Applied for many engineering-type apprenticeships throughout the summer after leaving school, went for many interviews and tests, eventually being offered an apprenticeship with Thales Optronics
• For the first six months of the apprenticeship I was based at EKGTA, a training centre where you learn basic engineering skills such as milling, turning and fitting. During this period I started an NC in electrical and electronic engineering at Langside College
• February 2006 I started in Thales Optronics, still continuing to go to college on a day release basis doing my NC
• July 2007 passed NC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• August 2007 begin HNC in Electrical Practice, similar setup as the NC in that it is a two year course, still continuing to do this course until July 2008

What are the key skills used in your job?
• Engineering Skills
• Able to work on my own or within a team
• Electrical testing

What are the biggest challenges in your job?
Moving into a new section in the factory, trying to settle in with the tradesmen and learning a new job.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
Gaining experience and skills from different tradesmen and working outside the factory to see how different people in different countries work.

What advice would you give to others interested in this type of work?
It is a good option for a career path and if you show an interest in it then you will be rewarded with a satisfaction when you work and the respect of your tradesmen.

A day in the life of a Manufacturing Apprentice
Currently in the factory I am in the EFA section within TI Cameras. A ‘sub-assembly’ is started with an empty ‘housing’ and it is my job to put a ‘flexi’ into the housing, fit into it a Peltier, Pressure Transducer and Temperature Sensors and then pressure test the housing both positively and negatively. If this passes I then pass the housing onto my tradesman and he begins to test it. I can also set up a telescope and DDE gyro tower. There are many other parts of the job I know and I can help out my tradesman if he is busy.

Teacher placement
Would you like to find out more about these companies or this industry? A teacher placement is a great way to do this. To find out more about the national Excellence in Education through Business Links placement programme visit Careers Scotland.