Want to know more?
Read more about our apprenticeships or check out our careers page
National Apprenticeship Week 2025 – Meet Our Apprentices
Meet Archie.
Level 3 Metal Fabricator – Sheffield
“What surprised me the most in my apprenticeship is the freedom and independence I am given to complete a job. If I make a mistake, I am allowed to work it out myself. I get treated like the rest of the skilled workers and not like a learner.”
This week is National Apprenticeship Week, a week-long celebration that brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. To mark the occasion, we spoke with Archie Baines to talk about his experiences and share what he has learned during his apprenticeship.
When did you join Shepley Engineers?
I joined Shepley in April 2023.
What made you choose an apprenticeship?
When I left school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do so I applied for a sixth form.
When I started the sixth form, I realised that the options I had chosen wouldn’t get me a job I would enjoy, so then I started working with my dad as a signwriter. It was this experience that made me look into getting a full-time apprenticeship because I wanted to be qualified and specialise in a specific job role.
I chose metal fabrication because after having done a trial that I really enjoyed and found interesting.
I was studying at AMRC for the first 6 months of my apprenticeship and then I went full-time in the workshop at Shepley.
What does a typical day in your job involve?
A typical day in my role involves a range of different tasks according to what has been planned for me. Usually I will be given a project to work on with my colleagues so can learn from them and they can help me gain better understanding of the task and to be able to ask questions on anything I may be unsure about.
Sometimes I get given smaller projects to work on independently, which I really enjoy as this helps me test and develop my skills. Anything I’m unsure about, I can always ask a colleague or my chargehand.
How have you progressed since joining Shepley?
Since starting my apprenticeship with Shepley, my skills, knowledge and confidence has grown a lot.
After my initial 6 months at AMRC, I had learned the basics of metal fabrication, which gave me the head start required to get started in a workshop environment. However, it was after starting at Shepley Engineers full time that my skills really started to develop as I am picking up new methods and techniques from my colleagues every day that I can apply directly to my work.
Shepley have also really helped me hone my skills by giving me progressively more complex and technical projects to work on which pushes me to really think about what I’m doing and ultimately makes me become a better fabricator.
What are your career aspirations?
My current focus is on completing my level-3 metal fabrication apprenticeship and become a fully qualified tradesman.
I also want to continue to develop my skills and knowledge of metal fabrication by gaining experience in different environments, such as working on site as I think it would be very beneficial to me to see a project though from fabrication to installation.
What do you enjoy most about your apprenticeship? Has anything surprised you?
What I enjoy most is that my role is very hands-on and that I’m learning by physically doing something. I still go to college on day release, which helps me improve my understanding of the theory behind what I do, but I still enjoy the practical element of my apprenticeship the most.
What’s surprised me the most in my apprenticeship is the freedom and independence I am given to complete a job. If I make a mistake, I am allowed to work it out myself. I get treated like the rest of the skilled workers and not like a learner, which gives me the freedom to explore different methods I can use to solve a problem.
What you say to somebody considering an apprenticeship?
In my opinion, an apprenticeship is a great way to learn skills and find yourself a career that you enjoy. Before I started my apprenticeship, I had very little practical knowledge, but this apprenticeship has really helped me as hands-on practical experience is how I learn best, and knowing I have the support of my colleagues and mentors has really boosted my confidence.