Stagecoach East has welcomed its latest group of Engineering Apprentices, as the bus operator continues to grow and showcase the talent that will drive forward the industry into the future.The group are a mix of Apprentices new to Stagecoach East and those trading-up – who are learning the skills to change job within the company.

Maria Gorgan, from the Cambridge Depot joins via the Trade-Up scheme and will be undertaking the Mech/Elec Apprenticeship, working towards the IMI Level 3 Bus & Coach Engineering Technician Qualification. Meanwhile, Baha Ahsan of the Peterborough Depot will be undertaking the Coachmaker Apprenticeship working towards the IMI Level 3 Vehicle Damage Technician Qualification and Jamie Bowles, also of the Peterborough Depot, will be undertaking the Mech/Elec Apprenticeship working towards the IMI Level 3 Bus & Coach Engineering Technician Qualification.

Their apprenticeships will see them learning in-depth about issues such as engine and vehicle diagnostics, electrical systems, vehicle inspection, panel removal and fitting, identifying and repairing mirror damage, and body misalignment rectification.

The news comes as Stagecoach East is highlighting the work of its Engineers and former Engineering Apprentices . It has released a case study of Marius Matei, an Engineer and former Engineering Apprentice, showing how his career has developed at East.

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, and himself a former Engineering Apprentice, said: “It is always such a proud time for us to take on new Engineering Apprentices . They really are the future of the bus industry – it is their dedication and ingenuity which will drive the industry forward into the future.

“So, I wish them all the very best of luck with their work and studies, and look forward to seeing what they will be able to achieve!”

Case Study: Marius Matei, Engineer, Stagecoach East

Marius set out his career in a very different environment: as a Chemical Engineer in Romania, but he took the brave decision to leave his studies and come to the United Kingdom, hoping to build a life and career for himself.

He could never have imagined where life would take him. “It was a huge decision to leave my course and my home country, but I knew that the opportunity was there. I had the ambition to really challenge myself.”

He was always determined to work, taking on his first job on the very day he arrived in the country, and at one point having four jobs at once, before coming to the bus industry and discovering a more regular and rewarding path.

He started at Stagecoach as a driver and enjoyed the work, particularly getting to know regular passengers and feeling like he was an essential part of his local community, but even so, when the opportunity to take on a trade-up Engineering Apprenticeship, he could not turn it down.

He freely admits that he did not have a wealth of engineering knowledge, but the bus operator clearly saw character traits in him that they believed would help him to thrive.

So, what do you need to be a great engineer? “First of all, you need discipline – you need the right attitude to come to work every day, work your hardest and be enthusiastic about learning new skills. That is really important because not everything comes to you first time. The training here is excellent, but sometimes I would find that a particular skill would take time to become natural for me. I would need to keep working at it and talk to the more senior Engineers here to get their advice and guidance.”

Now all the hard work has paid off as he is a fully qualified Engineer, including working on Busway buses – sophisticated vehicles which feature some of the most modern safety equipment anywhere in the world.

So, is he pleased that he made the big change? “I am absolutely delighted! This is a great place to work and it is so exciting to continue to learn new skills and capabilities that will be valuable throughout my career. I can look after my family and can be a role-model who shows that hard work and dedication really do pay off in the right environment. I always look forward to the next day at work!”

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