THE future is looking bright for 19-year-old Georgia Barker, a second-year apprentice with major Redditch company Thorlux Lighting.
The former St Augustine’s High School student said she had got ‘a bit bored’ with her A-Levels of Maths Mechanical, Physics, Biology and Further Maths and, having had a taste of engineering through a link between school and Thorlux, applied for an apprenticeship through Midland Group Training Services (MGTS).
Now she’s earning and learning, drives her own car, is taking her advanced motorcycle test and planning to move out of her parents’ Riverside home next year.
Backed by Thorlux she’s also studying for her BTEC with an HNC the next target, before aiming for a degree – all without debt. “The best way to think about this is to compare it with where my friends are,” said Georgia. “They’re in their first year at university and probably doing some horrible weekend job just to get by while I’m earning while I’m learning.
“The way things are they’re going to be 25 and still at home while I have the security of a good job and I’m getting a huge amount of practical learning.”
Thorlux technical director Ian Mulhall, who started as an apprentice with the firm 28 years ago, oversees the training programme.
“People see engineering as a bit boring and picture us going around in boiler suits all day and just don’t appreciate the range of things we cover,” he said.
Roles under the engineering umbrella include electrical, mechanical, manufacturing (the area Georgia is specialising in), software, hardwear and design.
“By taking apprentices on at 16 or 17 we get a chance to shape their development,” said Ian. “They have been key to our success and we very much view them as the future of our business.”
