After leaving Gore High School, John enrolled in the engineering pre apprenticeship course, Level 2 National Certificate in Fabrication Welding, at the Southern Institute of Technology. Completion of the Level 2 unit standards through the pre apprenticeship course should effectively be the completion of the first year of John’s apprenticeship theory requirements and would normally reduce the amount of time it should take him to complete his qualification.

John was, however, unable to secure an apprenticeship until Southern Group Training approached him with an offer. It is important to move into an apprenticeship as quickly as possible after completion of the pre apprenticeship course to minimise the loss of knowledge through lack of practical application. John is now settled into his apprenticeship and is making steady progress towards the completion of the second year of his apprenticeship.

John needs to maintain a regular record of all the tasks he completes as he collects and writes up evidence of his competency for assessment. Failure to maintain good records can add considerably to the length of time it takes to complete an apprenticeship

John is employed by Southern Group Training which placed him on secondment with Scott Sheetmetal.