Celebrating our apprentices

Congratulations to our Chemring apprentice, Aaron McEvoy, who won Engineering Apprentice of the Year at last week’s annual Portsmouth Engineering Training Association (PETA) AZ Awards. 
PETA is a training organisation that aims to help solve the skills shortages within the engineering industry in and around the Portsmouth area. The annual PETA AZ Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and successes of the apprentices, employers, and PETA staff over the past year. 

We caught up with Aaron to learn more about his apprenticeship and the experience that led to this award and to hear about his career aspirations.  

Aaron McEvoy is a level 3 engineering technician apprentice at Chemring Countermeasures UK (CCM UK). Aaron was among five finalists shortlisted for the prestigious Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award. 

What made you want to become an apprentice? 

“I wanted to study through an apprenticeship because of the variety of learning opportunities available only through that route. I prefer to learn through practical experience and exposure to the working environment rather than more conventional methods like classroom or book learning.  

“Through my apprenticeship, I’ve been able to learn more about engineering processes and principles, and I’ve had the opportunity to put that knowledge to use. I’ve always been interested in Maths and Physics, so engineering has always been my ambition, and the opportunity to work at a company that manufactures products as unique as Chemring’s seemed too good to miss.  

“I would absolutely recommend apprenticeships to anyone who would like to advance their knowledge whilst still earning and gaining work experience.”  

What appealed to you about Chemring? 

“Chemring really stuck out to me due to the unique nature of their products and how they work. There aren’t many opportunities to work for companies that make products that actively save the lives of the people who use them.  

“Learning about how production is managed when working with explosives is incredibly interesting and provides some unique challenges when developing new equipment or processes. I’ve benefited from learning about engineering in such an environment as there’s a wide range of equipment and machinery used, and new technologies are constantly being brought on site, which provides more learning opportunities.”  

What do you enjoy most about your apprenticeship? 

“I enjoy the variety in the work that I do. CCM UK makes a wide range of products, so there are a large number of processes, machines, and equipment to learn about. I’m always learning about a new product or machine, which keeps things fresh and always gives me something new to think about.  

“The people I work with have a wealth of experience and qualifications and are always able to explain processes to me. I’ve learnt a lot by working with them. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel and see our products tested. That’s been another unique experience that I would never have had the opportunity to partake in without the apprenticeship.” 

What do you find challenging? 

“When I first started at Chemring, the number of products and processes and how they all work together was overwhelming. Over time, I’ve learnt more about them, and the other engineers I work with have been extremely helpful in providing valuable insight and knowledge. Chemring has certainly been a great learning environment for me, and I’ve got a good network of colleagues that I can go to when I’m unsure about how to proceed with a task.”  

What are your career goals once your apprenticeship comes an end? 

“After I finish my current course, I’d like to continue learning to achieve further qualifications. I’ve already been scoping out HNC courses and Chemring is fully supportive when it comes to further learning and development. I want to become a Production Engineer after I’m qualified, and there are more opportunities to work with automation and robotics being produced all the time, which would be incredibly interesting.”