Meet the apprentices at Harland & Wolff

In the latest episode of Steph on Skills, Steph returns to Harland & Wolff – the iconic Belfast shipyard – to chat with a dynamic group of apprentices carving out careers in welding and steelwork. The group includes people from vastly different backgrounds, ages, and life stages, each sharing their inspiring journey into engineering.

From rediscovering passions in their 30s to juggling parenting with training, the apprentices talk about the ups and downs, the skills they’ve learned, and the strong sense of community that powers their progress.

• 00:00 – Welcome back to Harland & Wolff
• 01:00 – Meet Naomi: From farming to fabrication
• 02:30 – Meet Andole: The 17-year-old with big dreams
• 03:45 – Meet Dean: The apprentice dad
• 05:00 – Meet Lisa: From milking cows to steelwork
• 06:30 – Building a diverse, supportive culture
• 08:00 – Finding belonging and breaking barriers
• 09:00 – Juggling work, study, and parenting
• 10:15 – Why they chose apprenticeships
• 11:30 – What skills do you really need?
• 13:30 – The power of communication & community
• 14:30 – Job security and career opportunities
• 15:30 – Advice for anyone at a crossroads
• 16:30 – Ambitions: From supervisor to CEO
• 17:45 – Final thoughts and farewell

Watch Episode 16

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