Apprentice swapped car repairs for chemistry lab

Agnieszka Borecka is now a higher level science apprentice with Northern Ireland Water

Swapping car repairs for a chemistry lab has been a career game-changer for Agnieszka Borecka.

The 37-year-old, who is originally from Poland, previously worked in auto care at Halfords in Merseyside and Lisburn.

She is now a higher level science apprentice at Northern Ireland Water after applying for an apprenticeship programme.

Agnieszka said she "always dreamt about wearing a lab coat" and the role had helped widen her prospects.

"My partner saw an advertisement on social media and thought that would be a great opportunity for me," she said.

"The apprenticeship has provided me with the opportunity to change completely my career path.

"Wearing a white lab coat is a privilege. I am proud of what I do for a living."

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Agnieszka moved to Northern Ireland in November 2021 after juggling part-time work with an honours degree in Ocean Sciences.

In her previous job, she fitted car batteries, wiper blades and bulbs as a solutions sales adviser.

Now she works four days a week at NI Water's headquarters in Belfast, spending another day attending a foundation degree in Industrial Chemistry at Southern Regional College in Newry.

"I was working for Halfords for several years, while studying at the University of Liverpool," she said.

"I am quite a practical person, but I can shift anywhere else, when it is necessary."

Agnieszka's new role is in the chemistry department at NI Water.

There are just under 10,000 participants on the Apprenticeships NI programme and more than 1,700 on the Higher Level Apprenticeship programme, according to the Department for the Economy.

"We are seeing apprenticeship start numbers increasing year on year as people become more aware of apprenticeships and more opportunities are created by employers," it added.

"This is particularly the case for higher level apprenticeships, which are available from foundation degree through to masters."

The department spends about £30m a year on the Apprenticeships NI and Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes.

It is currently Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week, with opportunities across ranges of job sectors being showcased.

Economy Minister Conor Murphy has described apprenticeships "as a fantastic way to help people kick-start their career and release their potential".

Clodagh Patterson of Northern Ireland Water says apprentices help support business growth

NI Water has 28 opportunities available through its entry level academy in areas such as science, construction engineering, project management and accountancy.

Clodagh Patterson, apprentice and graduate coordinator at NI Water, said the new apprentices learned on the job from more experienced members of the team.

"Not only that, as we continue to grow, it helps support our business growth, filling roles that become available, but also our succession planning," she added.

Clodagh said the company had run an apprentice scheme since 2017.

"We now offer apprenticeships, higher level apprenticeships and graduate programmes and [these] account for 10% of the workforce," she said.

"Apprentices have moved into management positions."

Holly Patton from Ballyclare, County Antrim, is a managed service apprentice for BT Group in Belfast

BT Group is recruiting 39 positions for its September intake, which will include 28 graduate roles and 11 apprenticeships.

Holly Patton, from Ballyclare, County Antrim, is a managed service apprentice for the group in Belfast.

The 20-year-old said she had "a huge interest in cyber security, and an apprenticeship seemed like the perfect opportunity for me".

Holly works at BT four days a week and spends another day studying a Level Five HLA (higher level apprenticeship) in cyber security and networking, at Belfast Met in Castlereagh.

Being able to "earn while you earn" made the choice between this and a full-time degree easy for Holly.

She said at BT, apprentices had the opportunity to "rotate around different teams within the business and gain experience in different job roles".

"Throughout the apprenticeship, I want to learn as much as I can about each team I join and be able to understand what I want in a future job role.

"There are many opportunities to advance within BT, and I hope to build a professional career here."

Holly said her "advice for anyone considering an apprenticeship would be to take the first step and apply for any schemes that interest you".

"Even if you're unsure it's for you, it's always good to have multiple options available," she added.