Lucy Bell shares her Diageo apprenticeship experience

Diageo marked International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) by spotlighting one of the company's recent apprentices. Lucy Bell shared her experience of having recently rolled off the apprenticeship programme and taken on a full time role as an Electrical Engineer with Diageo.

Championing women in engineering

Lucy is an Electrical Engineer, Asset Care & Maintenance, based at Diageo Shieldhall, Scotland, UK. She has participated in Diageo's apprenticeship programme that combines an exciting blended learning approach of in the classroom, in the workshop and on-site putting everything into real-world-practice.

"A factory can be quite a daunting place to work in, but the operators, the electricians, the engineers, they're all great, it's a really good, fun environment," says Lucy.

"Originally, I was looking at university, and that was the way that we were steered at through school. There's a more hands on style of learning rather than classroom learning, so that's what I was drawn to with the apprenticeship," she explains.

Inclusive workplace for women

For its business to thrive and for Diageo to realise its ambition, the company depends on recruiting, retaining and developing diverse talent with a range of backgrounds, skills and capabilities in each of the 180 countries in which it operates. Its opportunities are endless and Diageo believes that the journey starts with its apprentices.

"It's been totally different to what I imagined, but really enjoyable. It's really good to get the hands-on experience in the hall whilst also getting the learning at college. It's not so much a male-dominated environment anymore, you can tell there's a lot more female apprentices getting taken on. But we actually don't get treated any differently. There's no divide between us," comments Lucy.

"I would definitely recommend anyone to go for an apprenticeship because you're getting that work experience while also getting your qualifications. So it really prepares you for rolling off the apprenticeship programme and going into a full time job at the end of it," says Lucy.

Blended approach to learning

Diageo apprentices study for qualifications that are specific to their programme. The company has teams and industry professionals at its various sites with experience and expertise, guiding and supporting the development of apprentices.

"Throughout your four years, you definitely build on your confidence. There's also a lot of other skills that are developed, not just engineering skills, so definitely it's a full package with the apprenticeship and at the end of it, you come at a totally better person," comments Lucy.

"In my fourth year I went onto shifts, working in a role that I was going to apply for and hopefully get the job. Then towards the end of my apprenticeship, I started applying for jobs, applied for the role that I was doing, finished my apprenticeship, and then just rolled into that at the end. So it was quite a gradual finish to the apprenticeship and moving into my full time role," she explains.

"My current aim is just to keep on getting experience, go for all the training that I can and really try and improve my knowledge across the lines. Then hopefully I'll have a long career here and who knows what the future will hold?" Lucy concludes.