Meet IMI Skills Competition Heavy Vehicle Technology Bronze Medallist 2024, Callum Stewart from Tayside Contracts:
Competition experience so far:
"Overall, it’s been fantastic so far. It’s been a good kind of confidence builder as well as anything else. It’s been good meeting other people in the industry, not just within the area, working on different things every day, and even just speaking to the boys at the hotel and everything during the qualifiers. It was really good. The highlights would definitely be going to Scania and seeing everything in the workshop and also getting to work on scanners because that’s not something we do here. So it’s adding to my experience even more."
Career journey so far:
"I’ve been through so many different kind of passing thoughts throughout high school of what I wanted to do, but nothing really stuck and it was when I was leaving school that I really sat down and had a good think, and I thought I’ve always been interested in automotive and engineering. And it seemed like the right fit for me.
"I did a year of full-time college after I left school in Light Vehicle Maintenance. My full college course in light vehicle and was unfortunately made redundant just as Covid hit. But I’d always heard great things about Tayside Contracts from people I know who worked here in the past, or who work here even now.
"I had an interview here and start in 2021. The training is just on a different level. It’s so much more in-depth and like Bob says, we’ve got a huge variety of fleets. So you’re working on a new thing every day and it’s just a constant learning process."
Future aspirations:
"With hydrogen and EVs becoming more commonplace, obviously qualifications and further development in those areas will be fundamental in the industry pretty soon. So I'll definitely be looking into doing stuff like that."
Employer and manager comments:
Callum's Manager said: "One of the big challenges I’ve found is getting a good mentor for the apprentices and I think one of the things I’ve learned is that a good mechanic is not necessarily a good mentor. It’s about understanding that there’s a lot to learn and never think that you know it all. But I started my apprenticeship as a mechanic in 1968 and the job just constantly evolves.
"You need an element of luck as well; being in the right place at the right time when the opportunity comes along, and I’ve been fortunate in that respect, but it’s all been experience and learning. You never stop learning, that’s the key."
Advice for new apprentices:
"Take on board what you’re being told. I know it’s pretty obvious, but it’s too easy to let things go in one ear and out the other. And as you progress throughout your apprenticeship, things get harder and you need to adapt with that.
"And as you build up your confidence, you need to make sure that you have confidence in what what you know, but also be aware that there’s a lot of things you don’t know and you can’t be. You can’t let yourself get overconfident, because that can lead to mistakes or even disputes. And always keep an open mind and be ready for advice and knowledge from other people."
