Tyrone Smith
Study Type: Higher Education
Study Location: The Roundhouse
Subject Studied: Engineering
Derby College higher apprentice Tyrone promoted to plant engineer
Derby College higher apprentice Tyrone Smith is making great progress in his maintenance engineering career.
He was recently promoted to plant engineer with his employer, Derby-based bearings manufacturer Exalto UK, after joining the firm five years ago initially as a Maintenance Engineering apprentice.
Now aged 22, Tyrone said: “The plan after school was to to train as a plumber in the army, but for medical reasons I couldn’t join up so instead I enrolled on the full-time level 2 Plumbing at Derby College.
“While on that course we were advised to find a plumbing apprenticeship. I applied to a few places and after passing several interview stages, was taken on by Exalto UK which manufactures bearings for the pump and marine industries.
“I completed the Maintenance Operation Engineering Technician level 3 apprenticeship, attending the Roundhouse on day release.
Derby College taught me the fundamental things I needed to know as the bearing industry is completely different to plumbing.
Obviously as I spent more time in the job, my knowledge grew, but college helped me, especially at the beginning when it was all new.”
In his role as plant engineer, Tyrone is responsible for checking all work going through the workshop and liaising with the production co-ordinator to ensure that the required tooling is ready and that all machinery is working correctly. He is also involved in training Exalto’s new employees.
Tyrone is now busy studying for a foundation degree before taking a top up BEng degree in Manufacturing Engineering at the Roundhouse.
He added: “There is a lot of theory to learn on this course, and, going from a level 3 to a level 4 is not just a step up, it’s quite a jump. Fortunately, the support is always there from our tutors if and when we need it.”
Exalto UK has been working with Derby College for five years. In addition to Tyrone, it currently employs two other apprentices and, says the company, will most likely take on another apprentice in 2022.
Mike Cosgrove, business manager at Exalto UK added: “Working with Derby College to train our apprentices has enabled us to improve the skill levels within the company, allowing us to gain higher value business from many new customers.”
Derby College taught me the fundamental things I needed to know as the bearing industry is completely different to plumbing. Obviously as I spent more time in the job, my knowledge grew, but college helped me, especially at the beginning when it was all new.