DCG Success Stories

Former Derby College Group engineering student Luke Payne is so glad he attended the recent Diversity in2Engineering apprenticeships and jobs fair.

Luke, who has level 3 advanced manufacturing and engineering, met rail engineering employer Collis at the event and has since joined the Derby company as its first degree apprentice.

After completing level 3 at DCG, Luke tried another career but found he missed engineering. So, keen to see what opportunities might be available, he went along to the industry event at the Roundhouse in February.

He said: “I took my CV and got talking to different employers, which is how I came to meet Collis, my new employer. Collis is a rail engineering business who work on some interesting rail industry projects such as HS2 and I wanted to find out more.

“They were interested in me too, and I was invited along to an interview. That went well and a few weeks ago I was taken on as the company’s first ever manufacturing engineering degree apprentice.”

Luke, who is 20, works as a planning assistant – a role which involves putting drawings into the system and using software to create the works and plan the manufacturing process for the company’s rail sector clients.

Luke added: “University wasn’t for me as I wouldn’t want to be in education full-time. This way I’m l learning on the job and gaining practical experience as well as studying for a degree – and I’m getting paid.

“My degree course is over three years and starts in September, with day release at the Roundhouse once a week. My main aim now is to get my degree and hopefully stay with Collis after I’ve completed my apprenticeship.

I enjoyed doing my level 3 at DCG and I’m so glad I went along to the Diversityin2Engineering careers event.”