“Rachael has put more into her first five years with the company than others put into a lifetime.”
Rachael Hoyle, 21, has used her Apprenticeship to help her employer and to improve the lives of people at home and around the world. Rachael completed an Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Aerospace Engineering and has now secured a full-time position in the Structural Engineering department at BAE Systems, one of her former work placements. She has taken full responsibility for running a crucial package of work that helped secure a contractual milestone for the company in November, last year.
David Brooks, Technician Training Coordinator for BAE Systems, accredits this success to the fresh approach and enthusiasm that Rachael brings to a well-established team.
David, who also acts as Rachael’s training provider with Xchanging, says: “Rachael’s continuous drive and enthusiasm throughout her work, and her expanding role, had an exponential effect on the attainment of deadlines critical to the future delivery of the airframe. She encouraged individuals engaged on the project to work collectively and her enthusiasm has had an infectious effect on staff morale, developing a successful, close-knit team.”
Rachael also used her engineering knowledge on a recent trip to Uganda, where she and 25 scouts built a community centre. During the trip, she also taught English and maths to classes of 30 Ugandan nationals.
Rachel says: “I feel that my involvement with the scouts and the work I have been involved with in the community here and abroad has promoted a positive image of Apprenticeships while helping to inspire other young people to take up a career in engineering.”
Back at home, Rachael used her engineering skills to help manufacture a special bath for stroke victims. She speaks at local schools and events promoting both Apprenticeships and women in engineering in her spare time. Rachael can now see how instrumental her Apprenticeship has been in her success.
Rachael says: “If I’m honest, I didn’t always want to be an engineer or work with aircrafts, and as my schooling drew to a close, I felt so unsure of what the future held. I looked into Apprenticeships and other courses, and what clinched the Apprenticeship for me was the fact that I could go and begin a career, learning from people who are experts in their own right. I felt I could get involved in real work while applying my favourite subjects, like physics and maths, and continuing to learn.”
Having completed her Advanced Level Apprenticeship, Rachael is now working towards a Bachelor of Engineering degree with honours at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Rachael was a finalist in the Advanced Level Apprentice of the Year category at the 2008 National Apprenticeship Awards.