Meet Direct Air’s newest Compressed Air Engineerin...

I decided to start an apprenticeship as I had recently left the military and therefore needed to retrain for civilian life. This meant that I needed to enter a new industry which I would still very interested in and I thought engineering for air compressor systems would be a great fit!

I knew that I wouldn’t be able to learn very effectively by working in a classroom setting full time, as I’m a very practical person. Considering this, having the opportunity to learn on the job through an apprenticeship route is very much suited to my learning style and abilities.

The apprenticeship will include theory through online college sessions with my tutor for support and guidance. Although I’m excited to get stuck in with the hands-on side, these college sessions will give me the opportunity to improve my academic ability and gain vital knowledge about the industry.

The apprenticeship I’m doing is a Level 3 Compressed Air and Vacuum Technician course where the broadest purpose is for me to accomplish installing and commissioning of compressed air equipment and associated equipment safely and confidently. Alongside this I will learn how to complete compressed air system servicing, fault diagnosis, repairs and to ensure equipment is operating and controlled at its optimum efficiency.

So far since I’ve started working at Direct Air I have had the opportunity to work with the pipework and installations engineers. This has meant I’ve been learning how to cut, thread and install the different types of pipe work that Direct Air supply and install. Being able to see the entire compressed air system come together following an installation has been really beneficial for me to get familiar with the equipment and materials I will be working with once I’m qualified.

I’ve also attended on-site jobs where the service engineers are carrying out air compressor servicing and system repairs. Watching the Direct Air’s qualified engineers complete this work has provided me with a clearer insight of how the compressors perform and the reasons for the issues they’re fixing.

As I’m starting out in a new industry, it’s really important for me to get all the information I need to become a great engineer, which is why the apprenticeship is ideal as it provides both the theoretical and practical side.

The skills I’m gaining already are massively helping me learn this trade which makes me excited to continue growing my knowledge. Knowing the theory side as I enter into practical work will give me a lot more confidence which I’ll be able to carry through my entire career as I get better and better.