Ladder for the Black country: Test for apprentices' skills
Two skilled apprentices from PTP Training who are working at Midlands manufacturers have performed in the qualifying stages of a national welding competition.
Henry Hewitt, who works at tube specialist European Heathyards, based in Walsall, and Ellis Holden, who works at Harris Pipework, in Willenhall, both took part in SkillWeld 2023 at Dudley College on June 21.
PTP Training, which trades as Performance Through People and is part of the BCTG Group, is an experienced provider of training for employers across the region.
Gill Durkin, business executive at PTP, said: “Henry and Ellis are both taking Manufacturing Technologies Level 2 apprenticeships and are already impressing their employers with their careful attention to welding jobs.
“They got the chance to display the skilled welding they are capable of by progressing to the national qualifiers of this year’s SkillWeld.
“We are very proud of them and other finalists who include learners from Dudley College, one of our Ladder partners, where the competition was held on June 21.”
The SkillWeld national qualifiers is designed to test competitors’ skills in the three main welding processes: manual metal arc, metal active gas and tungsten inert gas.
The competition has three stages which gradually build up to challenge competitors to develop their skills by completing a number of welding test pieces in a variety of positions in carbon, steel, aluminium and stainless steel.
Henry, aged 19, said: “I’ve learned so much since starting my apprenticeship with PTP and European Heathyards and while I was nervous about the national qualifiers, I also feel confident about the skills I’ve developed.”
Ellis, also aged 19, said: “It was really exciting to be in the national qualifiers and I enjoyed displaying the skills I’ve been taught at Harris Pipework.”
