As an apprentice, he spent one day each week in College and four days in the TrustFord’s Coleraine workshop which gave him an opportunity to put into practice the theory he was learning in the classroom.
On successful completion of his apprenticeship, he was offered a full-time position as a technician with the company.
Jamie said there is always something new to learn when you work with cars. He is currently training to become a senior technician at the Henry Ford Academy in England, a multi-million pound state-of-the-art training facility for Ford’s UK network.
“The car industry is changing very quickly so you need to be multi-skilled. Motor vehicle trainees and apprenticeships get a good foundation in skills needed for a variety of other trades, such as electricians and plumbers. I would have no hesitation recommending motor vehicle courses to any young people unsure about what to do next. It is certainly worth checking out what’s available at Northern Regional College.”
The Level 2 Motor Vehicle Traineeship is offered at the College’s Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey campuses and Level 3 Motor Vehicle Apprenticeship is offered at Ballymena and Newtownabbey. A Level 4 course in Advanced Automotive Studies, validated by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), and short part- time Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair leisure courses are also available.