An apprenticeship with Mears is helping 25-year-old Lukas Viselga from South Cambridge realise his dream of a career in the electrical trades.
As a child, Lukas was fascinated as he watched his uncle working on his father’s properties and curious about how electric appliances worked; he knew right from the get-go that this was his calling. As his studies at college came to an end, Lukas wanted to find an opportunity that helped him get some work experience to become an Electrician. So, when such an opportunity came up at Mears, he decided to take it.
Lukas said: “I was working at a BP petrol station when I finished college; I got a bit side-tracked and bought a new car. One day, I decided that enough was enough and I should get an electrical job which is what I always wanted to do. So, I worked with someone for a while, and then decided to get an apprenticeship because I thought that was the best way to go about getting properly qualified.
However, Lukas found it quite challenging in the beginning when he started looking for apprenticeships.
“I did find some apprenticeship adverts online, but I didn’t find them suitable or local to me; then one day, I happened to see that Mears was recruiting for apprentices in South Cambridge. I found the kind of apprenticeship Mears offered very appealing as it would help me break into the trades industry and serve as a great foundation to achieving my dream career,” said Lukas.
Mears is committed to offering local people their first step onto the career ladder and has found a gem of talent within Lukas. His can-do attitude and thirst to learn to become a fully qualified electrician has far exceeded expectations but for Lukas, this comes as second nature as he always knew that his future lay in an apprenticeship. Lukas is currently embarking on the final year of his four-year apprenticeship with Mears and has become a rising star within the company.
“You learn so much in an apprenticeship, it’s completely different from what you learn in college. I enjoy learning new things and every day I get to learn something that I hadn¹t known or seen before.”
All of Mears’ apprentices across the country are given a dedicated mentor to help support them on their journey. It¹s their role to support and guide apprentices like Lukas and help them achieve their career aspirations.
Lukas said: “You get to shadow qualified electricians who are ready to impart their knowledge and I try to soak up everything like a sponge. With the apprenticeship, you always have your mentor by your side to make sure that you’re safe and doing your work correctly.”
Even though Lukas’ apprenticeship was stalled due to challenges over the last 18 months, he has persevered with grit and determination with support from colleagues at the branch.
“It has been a bit hard, but at the end of the day, I’ve got my colleagues at work who are incredibly supportive and offer help to help me finish my assignments for my portfolio,” Lukas continued. “We have such a great team at South Cambs. We joke around and everyone gets along well. I genuinely feel that everyone wants me to do well and see me qualify.”
When asked about Lukas, his manager and mentor, Electrical Qualified Supervisor (QS), Damian Thrupp, said: “I have worked with Lukas right from the beginning. He has a natural talent and is incredibly keen on learning as much as he can. He has made incredible progress with his portfolio which is now 96% complete and we are working together to make sure he has what he needs to complete his apprenticeship.
“I have been impressed with his dedication over the past couple of years and even though our apprentices had to be furloughed last year, he managed to carry on working with a friend and gathering evidence to complete his course.
“Lukas is absolutely on target to become a qualified electrician this year and we will be offering him a full-time role within our team.”
Apprenticeships are an integral part of Mears’ ethos that help create chances and open doors for young people like Lukas to break into the construction industry and follow their dreams.
“An apprenticeship is invaluable; I know that I’ve got a skill for life that will lead to a secure job. It is probably one of the best ways to get into the industry,” said Lukas. “It is four years of hard work and you get to learn from different people and learn different techniques. You start easy with easy jobs and then gradually build up until you get qualified. I’m very passionate about staying with Mears and working towards maybe some additional qualifications and working my way up within the company.
“For anyone who is considering an apprenticeship, I can honestly say that it’s literally one of the best things you can do. What is the worst thing that might happen, you might not like it, but you won’t know until you give it a go. So, like me, if you want to fulfil your dream, consider taking an apprenticeship. You can’t go wrong; it might be the best decision of your life.”
