How it all got started

[thehomeengineer]

Hi Marv

Really nice post
Got me thinking about how I got in to engineer.

I am know 50 and again like most my first encounter with the lathe and mill was at school. Unfortunately, as I was in the bottom group for most subjects I was, considered not bright enough to use the machines in the shop. So hand tools it was for me.

My Parents were so helpful and I owe so much to them as they paid for practical model engineering evening classes at our local college. I tried to get an apprenticeship but did not have the skills to pass the written tests.

One day my Dad took me to an engineering works, which also had an apprentice school attached to it. I could not believe my luck that day one of the apprentices was fired (not sure why) and straight away they said can you start Monday no interview that I can remember just form filling. I did struggle with the college side of things but fully engaged with the practical stuff. I decided that one day I wanted to be an apprentice instructor.

I then gave up the practical evening classes and 15 years later, I decided to go back to college and study to gain my ONC and HNC in mechanical engineer.
While doing this study the Head of the Engineering department called me up to his office and asked if I could stand in for a teacher in the evening practical model engineering session. When I arrived to take the class all the previous students and some new ones were still taking part in these sessions that I had met when I was 16. I was very lucky that they wanted me to stay as the instructor and did so for 10 years. During this time and with this teaching experience I was able to achieve my goal and became an apprentice instructor for 5 years.

During my time as an instructor, there was lots of teacher training and again I struggled with the written work. I was asked by the college to go for a dyslexia test and no surprise it was found I have server dyslexia.

I still teach once a month to the students from the college practical model engineering class and still love everything about engineering.

I guess the reason for writing this is to say “anything is possible with the correct encouragement and support”.

Please forgive me for the long post and if you did get this far down the page thank you for taking the time to read.

The Home Engineer