What’s it like to be an Apprentice

Ryan Killick had always been interested in computers and the extensive world of IT, and has been working as an apprentice for Nuco Technologies for over a year. Here he tells us about the process of becoming an apprentice, what his work life is like and how the company has supported him to become the competent and professional adult he is today.

“I first applied for a job with Nuco Technologies (formerly known as Host-IT) in May 2016. After a quick response from the company they confirmed their interest and an interview/tour took place afterwards, following on with a two week trial period in July. After this trial I was happy with what my role was going to be, and they were happy with keeping me on. We decided on doing an apprenticeship with MK College since this would let me develop my current skills as well as progress further, learning everything I need relating to my job and the industry.

I have always had an interest in IT from a very young age, I started by taking apart various computers, learning about each component, what they were for and how they worked. I was also playing around with Linux, which helped me dive into the command line and get more advanced knowledge on how the operating system works. Most of my knowledge has come from fixing problems with my own computers. Instead of just taking them to a shop to get repaired I would instead look into the issue and try to resolve it myself, this alone got me understanding how everything works, while also giving me knowledge of common problems people have with their computers.

It wasn’t long before people were asking me to look into their technical problems, whether this involved physically fixing someone’s laptop or remotely connecting to their machine through RDP or SSH to fix the problem.

As I hadn’t previously had a job, going straight from school into work was quite a challenging task as it’s a completely different environment. Luckily it didn’t take long to adapt since Nuco Technologies provide a very supportive and relaxed working environment. Working there has enabled me to progress, and has given me the opportunity to put my skills to use and learn many new things. Being an apprentice is very helpful since the day release provides a lot of time to just study without any interruptions, and you can also get support from college tutors if you need it.”

“The Apprentice scheme has enabled us to employ a talented 16 year old and invest in them with the help of Milton Keynes College, so they can transition from a school environment to a business environment and perform a job role which is backed up by formal training and qualifications. Hopefully that they will become a key part of our technical team, supporting our business needs both now and in the future.” – Andrew Willis, MD of Nuco Technologies.

You’re Hired: IT Apprentice Ryan Killick

Ever wondered what it’s like to go straight from school into work? IT Apprentice Ryan tells us all about his experience, how he managed the transition and what his job has taught him.

“I first applied for a job with Nuco Technologies in May 2016. After a quick response from the company they confirmed their interest and an interview/tour took place afterwards, following on with a two week trial period in July. After this trial I was happy with what my role was going to be, and they were happy with keeping me on. We decided to do an apprenticeship with MK College since this would let me develop my current skills as well as progress further, learning everything that relates to my job and the industry.

I have always had an interest in IT from a very young age, I started by taking apart various computers, learning about each component, what they were for and how they worked. I was also playing around with Linux, which helped me pe into the command line and get more advanced knowledge on how the operating system works. Most of my knowledge has come from fixing problems with my own computers. Instead of just taking them to a shop to get repaired, I would instead look into the issue and try to resolve it myself, this alone got me understanding how everything works, while also giving me knowledge of common problems people have with their computers. It wasn’t long before people were asking me to look into their technical problems, whether it was physically fixing someones laptop or remotely connecting to their machine through RDP or SSH to fix the problem.

As I hadn’t previously had a job, going straight from school into work was quite a challenging task as it’s a completely different environment. Luckily it didn’t take long to adapt since Nuco Technologies provide a very supportive and relaxed working environment. Working there has enabled me to progress, and has given me the opportunity to put my skills to use and learn many new things. Being an apprentice is very helpful since the day release provides a lot of time to just study without any interruptions, and you can also get support from college tutors if you need it.”