Vice Principal Returns to Apprentice Roots

A Vice Principal of Lincoln College went back to his engineering roots to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week. Gordon Gillespie, who began his career as an apprentice mechanical engineer on Merseyside, spent an afternoon sheet metal working at exhaust manufacturers Eminox in Gainsborough.

He worked alongside real-life apprentice Nicholas Simpson (20) as part of a week of events planned by Lincoln College, supported by the apprentice employers, to celebrate and raise awareness of apprenticeships.

“I’ve noticed a lot of changes in the factory since I did my six-year indentured apprenticeship in mechanical engineering,” said Gordon. “Every piece of equipment here is computerised now but the fabrication and welding side of it is still quite similar to what I learned.”

Despite not having worked on a factory floor since 1985 Gordon successfully cut a steel pipe, swaged or flared it and inserted slots in the correct location.

John Pickup, Training Co-ordinator at Eminox, which currently employs three apprentices, congratulated Gordon and apprenticeship Nicholas Sampson on their efforts.

“It’s a very good piece of work and Nicholas has done an excellent job too,” he said.