William Peace - Former Electrical Maintenance Apprentice

In this Q&A, former Electrical Maintenance Apprentice, William Peace, reflects on his time with APTUS and shares how his career has progressed since completing his apprenticeship.

What discipline did you study with APTUS? Electrical Maintenance

Why did you originally choose to apply for an apprenticeship programme and specifically, why did you choose APTUS? When in college I undertook a challenge hosted by OPITO nationally for Math students - essentially competing for running the best O&G company. When I completed my college studies and understood that university may not be the best path for me, I thought of OPITO and applied. 

What achievement during your apprenticeship had the biggest impact on your development? Throughout the apprenticeship, I developed not only my technical knowledge but also a much greater understanding of industry standards, safe working practices, and the importance of effective communication and teamwork. Being able to apply what I learned in a real operational environment helped me bridge the gap between theory and practice.

How has your career progressed since completing the APTUS programme? I have had a successful career, despite not getting a company position when I completed my apprenticeship. My performance meant I was offered a contract position. I eventually moved to a different terminal 18 months later for secure work and now I work as an Operations Manager (OIM Equivalent). I have also since gained a BEng & an MBA.

What skills have you learnt/taken away from the APTUS programme that help you/you use on a regular basis in your career now? One of the key takeaways was the importance of effective communication and stakeholder engagement. The programme reinforced how critical it is to communicate clearly, listen actively, and adapt my approach to different audiences, whether that's frontline teams, senior leadership, clients, or external partners. Another significant takeaway was the value of teamwork and collaboration. The programme highlighted the importance of working across disciplines, understanding different perspectives, and creating an environment where people feel engaged and accountable for delivering results. 

If you could speak with someone considering the APTUS programme, what would you say to them to encourage them to apply? I often do this in any capacity I can anyway. I often reflect on my own career achievements as a way of showing what can be done. I also refer them to my colleagues that haven't done the apprenticeship. They often tell people of the difference between those that have done the apprenticeship and those that haven't in knowledge and foundation skill. As a representation my employer is not part of the APTUS programme but we currently have 9 former apprentices.

Do you have any advice for the apprentices currently completing the programme? Always do your best, you never know who could be watching. Those around you may in the future be recruiting you, those that you work with on site will have a say in whether you get a position or not. Doing your best is simply the only way to get recognised. Being critical, learning and opening up about your mistakes will allow you to thrive and should ultimately lead you to secure employment. But if it doesn't, don't be disheartened, the application of the skills you learn are cross industry and the apprenticeship is well recognised, so the work will be there and it may even be a better opportunity than what you may have otherwise had.