Onnec Celebrates national apprenticeship week

This week we’re joining in the celebration of National Apprenticeship Week!

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2024 is the 17th annual celebration of apprenticeships. The week brings together everyone passionate about apprenticeships to celebrate the value, benefit and opportunity that they bring. This year’s theme is “Skills for Life” and an apprenticeship at Onnec allows you to do just that by growing and developing your skills with a wide range of opportunities available to support your career within the IT infrastructure industry.

In recognition of National Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with four of our talented Onnec apprentices; Mark, George, Asean and Kevin.

Why did you decide to become an apprentice and start a career in the network infrastructure sector?

Kevin: Just the way things were going in the world, I saw that as a future proof opportunity now the world is going down the route of fibre and network infrastructure. Before I applied, I did two summers so I had an idea of what to expect. When covid came and I saw it as an opportunity to apply.

Mark: I decided to become an apprentice as I liked the idea of earning while you learn, going down the traditional college route wasn’t for me as I like to be hands on. I hope the gain all the necessary skills and qualities to pursue a successful career in the networking industry.

George: I never went down the university route because it wasn’t really my cup of tea. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when lockdown meant working from home, I spent time with a family member who works in the network infrastructure industry, talking about it and getting a general understanding of it. When it came to seeing this apprenticeship opportunity advertised I just thought, why not? I knew working for Onnec would present a lot of opportunities, so it would have been silly not to apply.

Asean: I think an apprenticeship is a great opportunity to learn and earn at the same time. I jumped into this because I was eager to learn and I was particularly interested in the electrical field.

What has surprised you most about being an apprentice?

G: Genuinely, it’s the amount of support we get from Onnec because everyone across the whole company is very helpful and great towards us. Dave takes his time to phone us to see how things are going, talk about what’s coming up and ask how we’re finding it all. Whether it’s related to an installation or our coursework, if we’re struggling he sits down with us to make sure we understand. We have a lot of great support.

K: Just the amount of opportunities you get from being on site and also going in college. We are constantly upskilling on our personal and professional development through communication with clients and just learning different techniques from different people.

A: I think the biggest surprise was just how much there is to learn. It’s not a case of pull the cable from that point and then test it – it’s so much more in-depth and there’s already a lot more I’d like to learn about and understand.

M: The amazing support we received from our mentor Pat, and the help and guidance shown to us by our colleagues. Everyone is there to help and support in whatever way they can.

What are your career ambitions and are there any areas that you would like to specialise in?

K: My career ambition would be a project manager, looking after jobs and running a team. I would continue my learning and development through taking courses, continuously upskilling and developing my career within the industry.

G: I’d like to pursue a fairly traditional route, becoming an engineer then lead engineer, working up to site supervisor, project manager and eventually operations manager. That’s my plan but other opportunities may arise, or extra training might take me down a different route. For now, I’d say becoming a site manager or project manager is something I’ve got my eyes set on.

A: I’m always keeping my options open because I don’t know where I might end up. I’ve got interests at this point but I’m conscious I need to be diverse in what I can do and what I’d like to gain to give myself the best chance to succeed.

M: At this early stage in my career, my options are wide open. For now I am going to keep working hard and work my way up to be a site supervisor.

What would you say to anyone considering becoming an apprentice?

M: Just to go for it! An apprenticeship provides many opportunities and is the only start to a great career ahead! There are so many things to learn in the apprenticeship and it’s so rewarding. Being able to go to college and earn while you learn is a bonus!

G: It’s a great way to get your foot in the door. You can’t just rock up to a site, say ‘I want to do that’ and go do it. The apprenticeship provides everything you need, from the basics up to the advanced skills, so you can learn to be the best professional you can be. You do need dedication – it requires time and effort to succeed. It’s not just a case of turning up and in a year or so you’ll get a qualification out of it. You can’t jump from job to job like a regular 9-5 – you’ve got to commit to learning the skills and passing the qualifications, so you do need to have an interest in it. It’s completely worth it, so take the opportunity.

K: Just take the chance! You might decide you don’t like it, but you might as well try it. It opens up more doors for opportunities!

A: I’m always encouraging friends to jump on apprenticeships. The ability to learn at a fundamental level and to progress in that role so you become very confident in it, is what makes an apprenticeship a very important opportunity. I would encourage anyone to pursue one. You’re not going to get a job in electrical or plastering or whatever if you have no knowledge of it. That’s just not how it works, unless maybe you know someone in that field. The experience I’ve gained through doing this apprenticeship has helped my understanding and shaped my development.

Our Commitment to Your Growth

At Onnec, we understand the importance of fostering and nurturing the next generation of IT infrastructure technicians, designers and project support managers, to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our global clients. Our commitment to excellence extends beyond our services; it encompasses our dedication to developing and equipping future talent with the right skills to succeed in our industry today and to continually learn and gain practical experience as the technology landscape evolves.

Discover a culture at Onnec that values your individuality, fosters a spirit of collaboration, and provides a platform for continuous learning. Visit our Careers page to learn more.