Liam has been part of DLM for three years and recently began a DLM-sponsored degree in Electronics Engineering, which he is studying as part of his apprenticeship role at the company. Ahead of his official start date at Southampton Solent University, we caught up with Liam to hear about his journey so far and his thoughts on the exciting road ahead.

Liam said, “Throughout the 3 years that I have worked part-time at DLM, I have gained valuable experience and developed significantly. After discussing the career progression opportunities with DLM’s Managing Director, Martin Halford, and having worked with the supportive team first-hand, the chance to combine a degree sponsored by the company with work at DLM through an apprenticeship role was something that really appealed to me.”

 

Did your previous work experience at DLM help shape your career goals?

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to work in engineering, but my time so far at DLM has really cemented this. After looking into the apprenticeship opportunity, finding out more about Electronics Engineering from the team and being officially offered the role, I knew that Electronics Engineering was the right path for me. 

The key moment, where I decided this was the right pathway for me was when I did a taster day in Electronics Engineering with DLM’s Technical Manager, Ryan Phillips. I found this day very interesting and by experiencing the work first-hand, I was confident that this was the best route for me to take.”

 

What are you looking forward to most?

“I’m excited to spend more time on client sites and to have more opportunities to see how our products and services are used in real-world situations. The experience I gained on site jobs in the past was really enjoyable and I am looking forward to applying new skills and knowledge from University and DLM in these situations.” 

 

How will your time be split between University and DLM?

“My apprenticeship will be on a full-time basis, being split into one day a week at university and four days a week at DLM, with time being put aside to focus on my studies where necessary.”

 

How will combining hands-on experience and formal education benefit your career?

“It will help me learn my role faster and make fault finding easier, as I am someone who learns from doing and seeing. Being able to witness issues in practice helps me to improve my understanding. I will hopefully be able to take the information I receive at University and put this into practice straight away.”

 

Why is DLM a good place to start your career?

“I have always found that the colleagues at DLM are really supportive, and always willing to go out their way to help their co-workers. This not only makes settling in easy, but is also part of the reason that it is an enjoyable working environment. The staff and management team are supportive of those starting their careers and take the time to understand your career goals. I found that I was trusted with learning new skills early on, meaning I was able to develop my skills from the beginning and have continued learning ever since.”

 

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship at DLM?

“Do it. The people are friendly and helpful, making it easy to settle in. You receive great support from the team, especially when it comes to your studies. The managers see real value in education and accommodate studies where possible. I experienced this first-hand during my part-time role, whilst at college. You will learn a lot in your apprenticeship and be encouraged to grow beyond that.”

 

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