DCG Success Stories

Mechanical engineer Angelina Stankovic loves her job and is so pleased she took a higher apprenticeship rather than doing an engineering degree at university.

Angelina, now 22, was one of only two girls on the HNC in Building Services Engineering course at Derby College Group, gaining a distinction on completion.

Her love of engineering started at school, when in Year 10, she spent a week’s work experience in the design department of a Derby rail business.

She said: “I got 2 As and 2 Bs in my A-levels and had intended to go to University. I’d been to uni open days and had received offers but then covid came along and I realised it would take six years to finish my chosen degree course.

“I decided to look at higher apprenticeships instead and found one with CPW, a mechanical, electrical and plumbing business in Nottingham.

“After I started there four of  CPW’s directors formed Chord Consult, and invited me and my colleagues Zoe and Shabaz, who have also taken the same HNC course at Derby College, to join them.”

Angelina thoroughly enjoyed day release at the Roundhouse and found her DCG course reinforced what she was learning in her job.

She added: “Out tutor Neil Smith, explained everything really well and made sure we’d fully understood it before moving on to the next topic.

“The second year’s course content was more relevant to my job. We learned about pipework and ductwork and we designed a ventilation system.

“As a qualified mechanical engineer with Chord, I size ductwork for special projects, applying the knowledge I gained on my college course every day.

“Doing the apprenticeship has been invaluable; it’s opened up so many more opportunities over the past three or four years than I’d have had if I’d gone to University.

“At college I got to mix with engineering students who had different levels of knowledge and experience, which was also good for my career.”

Angelina is now on a low carbon consulting course with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and is working towards CIBSE chartership.