DCG Success Stories

Former DCG Welding student Adrian Andres is excited to be starting an apprenticeship with a leading nuclear industry supplier.

Adrian, who is nearly 21 and from Derby, is one of three students from his level 3 welding course to have secured a place on Cavendish Nuclear’s coveted scheme.

And he is among eight young welders from that same college cohort to become an apprentice with a Babcock company.

Five former students from his group are currently on apprenticeships with Doosan Babcock in the West Midlands.

Adrian, who has always wanted to be an engineer, took level 2 Performing Engineering Operations (PEO) at the Roundhouse, before moving on to level 3 Welding at the suggestion of his lecturer Sean Smith.

He said: “I really hadn’t thought about training to be a welder before that but the more I learned, the more motivated I became.

“Sean wanted us all to get quality apprenticeships so we’d have a great industry career and he really fought to get us the best opportunities.”

After beginning his four-year apprenticeship initially online in early September, Adrian will, after a couple of weeks, relocate to Somerset.

He will spend one year full-time at Bridgwater & Taunton College before continuing his welding training on site.

He added: “Moving away from home doesn’t worry me. I’m excited to be starting my apprenticeship and I’m going to be training with people I already know. I expect the training to be hard and it’s going to be quite nerve wracking being watched by the tutors when we’re practising our welds.

“I’m looking forward to qualifying as a welder. One of my dreams was to be a professional basketball player – I’ve played a lot of basketball all around England – but as I’m only 5ft 7 that wasn’t going to happen!

Training for a great job in engineering is something I can succeed in.”