Learner Profile: Naomi

She attended Darwen Vale High School and Engineering College where she was supported and directed to participate in Training 2000s Aspiring Engineers club. Naomi attended this for two years running before beginning an Advanced Sheet Metal Apprenticeship here at Training 2000 with Paradigm Precision.

Naomi continued on her pre-determined path of becoming a woman in Engineering, however, her Mental Health took a turn which meant that she stepped away from her position at Paradigm Precision and Engineering in general. She was prescribed anti-depressant medication and following this decided to get back into the world of work with a different direction. Naomi went on the work at a Solicitors for a year followed by managing a number of restaurant before dipping her toes back into Engineering.

Metal Polishing at a small firm in Darwen was what reignited her love of all things Engineering. Aged 22, this steered Naomi to apply for a position with Presspart in Blackburn. After a year of working within this company, a Tool Making job came up and she grabbed it with both hands. Although not having the desired qualification, Naomi convinced management to give her the position and put her through a Tool Making apprenticeship with Training 2000. This is where we are currently.

When asked what made her want to complete an apprenticeship, Naomi said that it was a no brainer for her. “You get paid whilst you are learning and training. You are employed whilst you train and you have a company that are going to stick by you. It’s not the same level of support that you would get a College.”

“I always knew that I wanted to do Engineering and I know that this is what I will be doing for the rest of my life. I just like creating things from nothing, being hands on.”

When asked what she had learned that wasn’t skill related, Naomi said that she has discovered the art of portraying yourself in a professional manner both inside and outside of the workplace. To quote Naomi “you are advertising your company at all times, you need to think about that and remain professional”.

Looking to the future, Naomi wants to progress within Pressparts to a management level or maybe higher. Adding further, “the goal at the moment is to perfect everything that I know and all of the skills that I have learnt over the years. I won’t be a position where someone can questioned me based on me being a woman in engineering.”

“If I can say anything to to future apprentices it would be to take full advantage of the apprenticeship programme. It is not often you are lucky enough to get a second chance like I did!”