Spark of genius to create new electrical workshop training facility

Spark of genius to create new electrical workshop training facility
Spark of genius to create new electrical workshop training facility

Six bright spark Electrical Engineering Modern Apprentices (MAs) have transformed a Forth Valley College workroom into a state-of-the-art training facility.

John Shepherd (30) from Stirling who works for Babcock, Martin Clark (24) from Inverness who works for Amec Foster Wheeler, Lee Irvine (20) from Shetland who works for Aker Solutions and Wood Group trio Aaron Kirk (19) from Troon, Kieran Ferguson (19) from Comrie and Elliott O’Donnell (20) from Airdrie, utilised their FVC training days – under the guidance of Electrical Engineering lecturer David Hughes - to hone their electrical skills and turn a workshop into a dedicated Motor control workroom (22W) at the Falkirk Campus from a bare shell into a training asset for themselves and future MAs.

The group - who have they MAs sponsored by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) - installed and wired up working Motor Control Panels, mains power supplies and fault finding on real equipment and have managed to do it in less than 60 hours of timetabled class time – quite a remarkable effort.

Dean Williams Head of the Department of Electrical, Instrumentation and Chemical Engineering and William Forrest a Curriculum Manager in the same department, were delighted to inspect the new facility on Tuesday 23 May and congratulate the MAs on their excellent work.

Dean Williams said:

“I am very proud of these students. They have created an industrial standard training centre workshop – under the expert guidance of David Hughes – and I am very impressed with what they have achieved in so short a period of time.”

Lecturer David Hughes, said:

“I really can’t believe the feat they have undertaken in such a short space of time. This has been a very, very large project for second year MAs to take on and they have done a fantastic job.”

MA Aaron Kirk, said:

“I have enjoyed the responsibility that we have been given on this project and the skills we are learning here definitely help us in the workplace.”

MA John Shepherd, said:

“The whole process has been brilliant. I came here as a pre-apprentice and getting hands-on experience such as this at the college, has been so relevant to the job I am now doing as a full MA with Babcock. They have been impressed with what we are doing here. I would completely recommend the MA programme to anyone as the facilities are great and the lecturing staff have a great wealth of knowledge.”

For more information on the MA programme contact the Business Development Department on 01324 403068.

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