To mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week (1 - 5 March), Indeglas managing director Jeanette MacIntyre interviewed recently qualified apprentice Andrew Dunn about his experiences of the apprenticeship.

​Jeanette MacIntyre (JM) - Andrew, prior to starting your apprenticeship over four years ago, can you recall what sparked your early interest in joinery?

Andrew Dunn (AD) - My favourite subject at school was Woodwork, I loved being able to own a project, working out which tools and materials I needed, the techniques of fixing different materials together well and seeing these materials transform into something useful. Being able to put something of yourself into creating something new felt really good.

I also helped my father doing some refurbishment projects and I saw how joinery skills could transform people’s lives and make them better and that appealed to me.

JM - Which aspects of the apprenticeship did you find challenging and which did you enjoy the most?

AD - I didn’t expect so much of the training to involve methodology and the apprenticeship included some subjects that I couldn’t initially appreciate the significance of. However, on reflection, I fully understand that I have now gained a positive, challenging way of thinking, a process of approach that I can transfer to so many aspects of my job. It’s given me confidence that I can approach completely new situations, types of materials and environments and apply the same core skills and learning to find solutions.

I enjoyed the wide scope of skills I achieved working on complex timber structures. I set myself some really high standards as I was used to minimal tolerances working with aluminium and glass during my on-site learning.

JM - You achieved an exceptionally high grade in the Advanced Craft examination. Have you identified further areas of learning you would like to pursue? 

AD - On-site we are already operating robotic lifting equipment and I would be keen to learn more about the variety of options possible to assist the logistics and site preparation for various glass types to ensure I am using the most advanced and effective equipment and methods. Learning more about different glass types, the properties of glass and in particular fire rated glass screen assemblies and doors is of interest as this is an important area and has the potential to save lives as well as let daylight through a building. I see a wide variety of opportunities for learning and am keen to develop these.

For more information about apprenticeships within Indeglas then complete the contact us form.

For more information about Scottish Apprenticeships then visit www.apprenticeships.scot.