BLOG: My Queen's apprenticeship experience – Isaac Forsythe
"Working as part of such a skilled, supportive team at Queen’s, while gaining hands-on experience and studying at Belfast Met, has been an incredibly rewarding journey."
A special blog for NI Apprenticeship Week by Isaac Forsythe, Apprentice Technician, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
I have always been a hands-on person. From a young age, I enjoyed taking things apart and reassembling them to understand how they worked. Whether it was working on my mum’s car or repairing broken furniture, I was always creative and driven to find practical solutions. As I grew older, this naturally developed into a strong desire to pursue engineering as a career. After finishing school, I initially planned to continue studying full-time. However, when I discovered the apprenticeship opportunity at Queen’s, I immediately knew it was the right path for me. The chance to apply my practical skills every day while continuing my education was exactly what I was looking for.
A typical day in the CNC workshop involves interpreting and designing engineering CAD drawings, programming components using CAM software, and setting up and operating a range of machines. These include a 3-axis CNC milling machine, a CNC lathe, and various grinding and sawing machines. Alongside machining, I am continuously developing my welding and fabrication skills to broaden my technical abilities. At the start of each academic year, I also assist in delivering CNC lathe demonstrations to multiple groups of second-year students, guiding them through the full process of manufacturing a component.
Working as part of such a skilled, supportive team at Queen’s, while gaining hands-on experience and studying at Belfast Met, has been an incredibly rewarding journey so far. I have learned a wide range of engineering techniques and developed valuable practical and professional skills.
Seeing some of the parts I produce being used in interesting and complex projects, such as an eye surgery robot or the Formula Student car, has been one of my proudest achievements in my apprenticeship. I would strongly recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who wants to build hands-on experience, develop real-world skills, and is unsure whether full-time education alone is the right path for them.
