Angus Training Group

I’m currently a designer/draftsman at Oil States, where I focus on 3D modelling, drawing, 3D printing, and soon, occasional offshore work. My career began with an apprenticeship at GE Oil & Gas through ATG in 2014.

I was drawn to engineering because I enjoyed technical subjects at school, particularly Graphic Communication and using CAD software. A work experience placement at GE Oil & Gas confirmed my interest, especially in the designer role. After school, I applied for apprenticeships and was fortunate to join GE Oil & Gas, where I worked for seven years. Nearly 12 years later, I’m still working as a designer and love what I do.

The most valuable lesson from my apprenticeship was the hands-on experience in milling, turning, and fitting at Angus Training Group. This practical knowledge continues to benefit me in my daily design work.

My apprenticeship was crucial in shaping my career. It gave me skills and experience that would have been difficult to obtain otherwise. While university provides education, apprenticeships offer a head start with real-world experience. My advice to new apprentices is to fully engage, absorb as much as possible, and take advantage of any educational opportunities offered by their employer.

Looking ahead, I believe apprentices should be ready to adapt. The skills gained are highly transferable, and with the current political and economic uncertainty, flexibility will be key in navigating future career paths.

Albeit my current title is Supply Chain Manager, i am involved in far more than just supply chain activities. We are currently rolling out SAP Business One, ERP system globally across all the NTS Amega Global facilities which i am heavily involved in. This gives me great insights to how the different facilities / functions operate and deliver to our customers. With this knowledge we can share ideas / best practices, create uniformity to drive the business forward.

I know many people around the globe who hail from the Angus area and attended ATG. We all started from humble beginnings, have gone on to have successful long-lasting careers, all thanks to the fantastic grounding and teachings received in these early years during our apprenticeship.

I for one, would advocate to anyone that an engineering apprenticeship (or any apprenticeship) is as good as getting any university degree. This gives you the practical and technical skills to move forward. It has never held me back from getting to where i am now.

I left Brechin High School in 2012 after landing an apprenticeship with Halliburton as a CNC machine operator—an unexpected but rewarding path. The chance to train locally with a global company while earning during the four-year apprenticeship was too good to pass up. My journey began at Angus Training Group (ATG), where I gained hands-on skills and made lasting friendships. By the second year, I was applying those skills in the workplace, learning different roles and processes. After qualifying as a time-served CNC operator, I quickly progressed to operating advanced machinery, then into leadership roles—first as a team leader, then machine shop manager. Thirteen years on, I’m now Senior Production Manager, overseeing three workshops and working internationally. ATG laid the foundation for my career, offering the skills, experience, and confidence to grow into both technical and leadership roles in a global industry.

I started my journey as a 16-year-old apprentice at Angus Training Group (ATG) in Arbroath, never imagining how far those early mornings and hands-on lessons would take me. With a flask of tea and barely enough money for the bus, I began my engineering apprenticeship with Hughes Offshore—now Baker Hughes—which laid the foundation for everything that followed. After qualifying as a draughtsman, I worked on subsea projects around the world, from South Africa to deepwater developments in the UK. I later helped build Schlumberger Subsea from the ground up, eventually leading over 1,400 people as Vice President of Engineering and Technology, before returning to Baker Hughes to oversee nearly 3,000 engineers as CTO. After decades in the corporate world, I followed a lifelong dream and started my own distillery in Broughty Ferry, applying the same passion and precision I learned at ATG. Looking back, I owe so much to those early days—the training, the people, and the grit I developed there truly shaped who I am today.