Luke Crowther, Engineering Manufacturing Technician

What I do

I work as an apprentice wiring technician at Capula. My job involves building and wiring panels and cabinets that are used in power plants and nuclear sites across the UK. The cabinets are metal boxes which are full of terminals, relays, wires and different components.

We use packs containing all the power supplies and parts we need. We follow the engineer’s drawings and plans to connect the parts and assemble the panels, which are later installed on site. It’s electrical engineering really, and the cabinets we make are used at sites which deliver energy to homes and businesses.

Luke operating a level-operated manual punch press in the workshop.

How I became a technician

When I was in school, I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn't want to go to sixth form. I chose business and iMedia for my GCSEs, along with Spanish and geography. After passing most of my GCSEs, I went to Stafford College to study a Level 3 BTEC in motorsport engineering. After that, I started looking for an apprenticeship.

How I became a technician

I found my apprenticeship at Capula through the government website. It sounded really interesting and it's close to home, so I was pleased to be offered it. The apprenticeship lasts three and a half years and I'm enjoying it and learning all the time.

A typical day in my working life

I start my day at 8:00am and speak to my line manager to plan the day's tasks. At the moment, I'm helping to make panels and prepare the shipping notes, ready to be sent to the client (the company that's hired us).

A typical day in my working life

When we're building panels, we use kits that contain all the necessary components like terminals, trunking, and DIN rails, which are the metal rails which mount the circuit breakers and control equipment.

A typical day in my working life

We follow plans and engineering drawings to make sure everything is installed correctly and then the final panels are tested. Every day involves a mix of both hands-on work and checking that everything is assembled according to the plans.

The best part of my job is the people I work with.

Take every chance you get... you never know where it might lead.

What I love about my job

The best part of my job is the people I work with, everyone is friendly and approachable, whether they’re on the shop floor or in another department. I’ve made good friends here, and it’s been really easy to go from college to a workplace.

The team I work in is quite big, with around 30 to 40 people, and there’s a mix of ages and experience levels. It’s great to learn from people who have been in the industry for years, there’s always someone there to answer any questions we have.

The skills I use most

Communication is crucial in my job to make sure everything is done correctly and on time. We need to communicate with both our team and the engineers who design the panels. Hands-on skills are also important, as we need to install components precisely and sometimes in small, awkward spaces. Problem-solving is another key skill, especially when things don’t go as planned.

Luke assembling a cabinet in the workshop.

A little more about my everyday role

The best part of working in a team

Everyone is supportive and happy to help each other out. Working in a team is essential because we all need to communicate effectively to solve problems. The more experienced team members have so much knowledge, which is invaluable. It's like free learning from their years of experience!

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite piece of equipment is the electric crimper. It strips and crimps wires quickly, saving a lot of time. It's efficient and makes the job much easier.

What I like to do in my spare time

In my spare time, I enjoy playing football. I used to play six days a week when I was in school, and I still play now, although not as often. Football has always been a big part of my life.

My school days

I passed most of my GCSEs and decided to go to college instead of sixth form. I studied motorsport engineering at Stafford College and completed my Level 3 BTEC. After college, I looked for an apprenticeship and found one at Capula through the government website. I'm now finishing my first year of the apprenticeship, which lasts 3.5 years.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

My advice to someone younger would be to get out there and apply for every apprenticeship you can. About a thousand people applied for the apprenticeship I’m doing and only around thirty were taken on. You have to take every chance you get because you never know where it might lead, and it's important to keep your options open. I never thought I'd be doing electrical engineering, even when I was in college, and here I am doing a job I really enjoy.