Bethanie Brogan and James Burns

Bethanie Brogan

Bethanie Brogan (27) a Manufacturing Engineering/ Global Sourcing and Procurement Modern Apprentice from Dunfermline, works for TechnipFMC.

She said: “TechnipFMC is a global oil and gas company specialising in subsea and surface projects. They are responsible for designing, building and managing various oil and gas projects.

“My role in TechnipFMC consists of sourcing the best suppliers for the products that we need. This involves building relationships with suppliers, understanding the processes and communicating regularly with various departments.

“The Procurement Modern Apprenticeship programme at Forth Valley College has been great! It has really helped me build a better understanding of the sourcing and purchasing process. It has allowed me to understand the technical processes that products go through to give me a better awareness of factors such as lead times, cost and issues that suppliers may face when procuring goods off them.

“Being in the Manufacturing Engineering classes at the College helped me to gain a technical understanding of the processes that the products of TechnipFMC go through, such as machining and inspection. It has also helped me to gain a better knowledge of the quality processes that the products must go through and achieve also.

“The Procurement SVQ has enabled me to have structured learning within my workplace through ensuring that I complete the relevant units in the programme for my learning. As I have been given various placements at my workplace, it ensures that all departments are aligned in my development and this ensures I gain the necessary knowledge to complete the relevant units of my SVQ.

“The staff at the College have been lovely and extremely helpful whenever I have had a query. They have made sure to give me support when I have not been entirely sure about a subject. Cheryl (Procurement Assessor) has always ensured that I have a clear understanding of what is expected of me in each individual unit of the SVQ, and has always made sure we catch up regularly whether that be in person or through Team’s calls. The facilities at the College have been great, it is always a clean and welcoming place to be. 

“I would recommend the Procurement Modern Apprenticeship to anyone that is interested. As someone who has been to university previously and worked in various roles, this experience has by far been the best in helping me to have a strong understanding of the subject, whilst also gaining practical experience on the job.

“The best bit for me so far is being able to manage my own projects in the workplace already through my understanding of the procurement and sourcing processes, that I’ve gained in my modern apprenticeship.

“The advice that I would give to other students is that the Procurement MA is a great opportunity to enable your learning through knowledge and experience. The SVQ enables you to have a strong theoretical awareness of the role through the knowledge-based questions, while the performance criteria ensures that you are utilising this learning in a practical setting.

“You can complete the SVQ at a pace that suits you the most. The work is provided by your Assessor with a good time frame to complete it, although you can request additional work whenever you feel ready. This allows you to progress as quickly as you choose. There is also the flexibility to take more time if you would like to understand a unit in more detail before moving on.”

 James Burns

James Burns (23) is a Manufacturing Engineering Global Sourcing and Procurement Modern Apprentice from Glenrothes, who works for TechnipFMC.

“TechnipFMC is an Oil & Gas technology organization, specializing in the design, manufacturing, and deployment of subsea technology, such as Xmas Trees, Manifolds, and underwater piping, all of which are important for extracting oil and gas from offshore fields.

“My role at TechnipFMC as a Global Sourcing and Procurement Apprentice is to aid in the sourcing of parts required for the manufacture of TechnipFMC products, and to maintain relationships with the suppliers we work with. At the moment I am working alongside my colleague Stuart Crawford with products in the Engineered Plastics category, dealing with products such as Distributed Buoyancy Modules, Flowline Risers, and Pipe Insulation and Spacers.

“The Procurement MA program at Forth Valley College is an amazing opportunity I have been fortunate to have been granted. This program has allowed me to take my first steps in my career and has allowed me to expand my knowledge and grow in my understanding of my role.

“Both in my SVQ Level 3, and my Manufacturing Engineering course onsite, I have learned a great deal about a wide range of topics relevant to my role at TechnipFMC, and in doing so, I have begun to take on greater responsibility in my workplace and be exposed to a greater number of projects.

“In my SVQ Level 3, I, through research related to my assignments, have acquired a great deal of understanding of various factors related to sourcing and procurement, such as building and managing effective working relationships, and identifying how to analyze my performance and improve my working practices, all of which has greatly helped me in my work at TechnipFMC.

“In my Manufacturing Engineering onsite at the Falkirk Campus, I have been exposed to a great deal of technical knowledge, such as understanding of how lathes work, exposure to CNC machining, understanding of material properties, and much more, and all of this has given me the ability to understand more of how the suppliers I work with at TechnipFMC manufacture the products we utilize.

“The facilities and staff at Forth Valley College are exceptional. The facilities and staff onsite have both worked to provide myself and my fellow students with a great environment for learning and have allowed us to really focus on the courses we are studying.

“The facilities at FVC, such as the quiet seating dotted around the College and the Learning Resources Centre, provide an excellent environment for studying and personal learning, and the classrooms and laptops/computers are always kept clean and ready-to-use.

“The staff at FVC are always welcoming, encouraging, and ready to support whenever needed. Both the lecturers in my onsite classes, as well as my SVQ Assessor Cheryl Sutherland, have been very helpful and very quick to respond and aid whenever I had questions or required additional support, and that support was provided in a very constructive and easy-to-understand manner.

“I would recommend the Procurement MA programme and Forth Valley College to others interested in my line of work because I have had nothing short of an amazing experience working alongside them and expanding my knowledge.

“Despite knowing next-to-nothing about procurement and all its intricacies before starting in the MA programme, the support, encouragement, and depth of understanding granted to me by Cheryl and the FVC staff, has allowed me to progress in my career in a very short period of time, to a point where I am now confident in my abilities and am actively seeking to further improve my performance in sourcing and procurement.

“The personal highlight in my Modern Apprenticeship at TechnipFMC and FVC so far must be my supplier visit to Howco in Manchester. This trip was designed to show me how the Connections products used by TechnipFMC are manufactured, from the initial Bill of Materials, all the way to the manufacturing and shipping of the product.

“This trip allowed me to see the production timeline of a product condensed into a few days’ worth of discussion and observation, and this understanding of the production timeline went on to aid me greatly in certain assessments for my SVQ Level 3.

“My advice for potential future Procurement apprentices would be to understand that every facility provided to you by your workplace and by Forth Valley College, and every working relationship you build in the workplace and at FVC during your MA programme, are tailored to help you grow in your career and develop your knowledge of the role. FVC provide excellent support to any who ask, and will continue to do so no matter how many times you require said support.”