Engineering success at UHI Scalloway campus

Ross has enjoyed a year of college-based studies and enthusiastically shares the broad spectrum of skills he’s been developing: "I’ve been doing a variety of engineering-based stuff like electrical, mechanical, lathe work and welding. It’s a good variety. I enjoy welding the most, and that’s what I’m interested in doing for a job."

Ross is looking forward to working as an apprentice at Malakoff for three years, after which time he will be ready to move on to a new career.

Ross feels staying in Shetland was the right choice. "I’d rather stay home. I don’t regret not going away. Staying here, I’m getting to learn a trade and being paid at the same time. I’d rather do that than go down south to uni."

David Abernethy feels the same. "I’d rather bide in Shetland too. It’s just got that kind of homely way about it."

His love of Shetland and its maritime heritage is clear through the hours he spends maintaining he Swan, Shetland’s beautifully restored herring drifter. She is now used as a sail training ship and is often berthed at the Scalloway marina beside the UHI campus.

David jokes that his mum hardly ever sees him – if he’s not at the college he’s hard at work on the Swan.

David is doing the one-year HNC in engineering and hopes to get an apprenticeship next year. Engineering is in his blood: his grandfather was a marine engineer on the Bressay ferry and his father owns local engineering firm, Braewick Agri Services.

David has loved fixing things since he was a young age. He recalls: "It’s surely what I used to do when I was peerie, my grandfather had engines lying around from old cars – I’d come in from playing with black hands from working on these engines."

Like Ross, David has spent a year solely at college, absorbing the in-depth theoretical knowledge that complements the practical skills he had already begun to develop at home.

Both students appreciate the robust support offered by the college’s faculty. Ross praises the staff for their dedication. "The staff are very good at teaching and helping you through the course and if you're stuck with anything. There’s quite a lot of coursework to do, but do they help you through it."

They also have their peers to support them through the course, as Ross says: "They’re a good bunch of boys."

Engineering lecturer Steven Moar is keen to emphasise the vibrancy of the engineering sector in Shetland and the value of apprenticeships.

"Apprenticeships are so relevant at the minute. You know, people want to get out of school and they want to get to work. So apprenticeships are a great way to go," he says. He highlights the comprehensive nature of the programmes offered, which cover a variety of disciplines allowing students to discover their passions within engineering.

"The college is really good because the HNC course or the modern apprenticeship course that we do, it gives you a taste of everything, gives you a taste of five, six different disciplines," he adds.

Despite the demands of their course, both Ross and David are optimistic about the future. The engineering sector in Shetland offers a wealth of opportunities, particularly in specialised areas such as welding, which Ross is keen to pursue.

"There's a lot of good opportunities, a lot of good companies out there that you could apply for and a good variety of jobs," Ross says, clearly confident about the career possibilities in Shetland. This local opportunity eliminates the need for young professionals like him to relocate to find employment, a significant advantage that Shetland offers.

For anyone considering a career in engineering, Shetland offers a winning blend of education, opportunity, and community support, making it a standout choice for students like Ross and David.