Q&A with Apprentice Engineer, Jessica from PAR Group Ltd
What were you doing before your Apprenticeship?
I was doing Travel and Tourism in College but I decided that I wanted a change in my career prospects as I wanted something more practical that I could really get stuck into. I also wanted to develop my skills whilst being paid. I am now doing a Level 2 Engineering Operative Apprenticeship with Rochdale Training, which I started in September 2022.
Where do you work?
I currently work at PAR Group Ltd in Heywood. They make different engineering components for companies worldwide. I chose to do my Apprenticeship with PAR Group because I had heard about their great reputation and I felt as though it would be a great place to start my engineering journey.
Why did you choose to do Engineering?
I have a lot of family members that are in different Engineering trades and I feel that it is a career that I will be able to stay in and progress in for the long-term future.
How do you find working in a male-dominated industry?
I never feel like I am out of place or that it is a male-dominated industry as there are other female learners with me and all of the male learners are welcoming and have never made me feel uncomfortable or that I’m any different. I would recommend engineering to other females as you will never feel out of place and earn a higher than average salary whilst learning new skills.
What are your goals for the future?
My goals for the future are to carry on progressing within the Engineering sector and developing my skills further.
