For Sam, the path to becoming an Apprentice Mechanical Design Engineer at DL M&E was influenced by both family heritage and personal interest. "I've always had an interest in engineering from high school," he reflects, noting that with both his father and grandfather in the industry, engineering has been a constant presence in his life. While this background gave him a general direction, Sam's story demonstrates how personal passion combined with the right opportunity can shape a promising career.
Since joining DL in September 2022, Sam has embraced the technical challenges of mechanical design engineering. His role involves complex calculations and detailed design work: "I do the design side of jobs, for example on ventilation, design the vent, the fresh air going into rooms, coming out of rooms. I consider the heat loads, calculating what heating or cooling is needed for a room. I do the AC in every room." This technical work requires precision and understanding of building services systems, skills that Sam has developed through both formal education and hands-on experience.
His academic achievements showcase DL's commitment to professional development. Sam has completed his Level 3 in building services and is currently pursuing a degree in building services at Liverpool John Moore's University, fully supported by DL. Perhaps most notably, he has achieved EngTech LCIBSE status, becoming a registered member with CIBSE (Chartered Institute of Building Services and Engineers) – significant accomplishments for someone early in their career.
What stands out in Sam's experience is the collaborative learning environment at DL. "Teamwork is a big skill you need," he emphasises, "as you're working in a team and obviously, being an apprentice, you're not individually doing your own jobs. You're working and you're learning through other people." This team-based approach extends beyond just completing tasks – it's about building comprehensive understanding through shared knowledge.
The learning curve has been steep, as Sam candidly admits. Coming straight from school, where construction and building services receive limited attention, everything was new. "Construction is such a broad industry, you know, studying only a tiny percent of it in school, and which isn't like real industry engineering. So, you come in pretty much unknown." However, this challenge has become a source of satisfaction, particularly when things click into place: "When you are learning all these new things and then everything just seems like in the air because it's all so new to you – and then it all just clicks together and you end up finally applying it to your projects and to your university work."
Sam's pride in his progress is evident when he discusses his first semi-independent project, marking a significant milestone in his development. Currently working on multibank projects, he handles heating, ventilation, and AC systems, from initial surveying through to client proposals – demonstrating the real-world application of his growing expertise.
What makes DL stand out as a training environment is its approach to apprenticeship. Sam challenges the common stereotype of apprentices being "forgotten about, made to do the work that nobody really wants to do." Instead, he describes an inclusive environment where questions are welcomed and patience is abundant: "If you don't understand something, there's no issue of asking two, three, four times until you finally get it. Everyone's very patient."
The support is both comprehensive and practical. "Every time I need input, they're all very supporting," Sam explains. "If I have a problem on a job or in university, I could always find myself happy to ask any of the engineers, and they're more than happy to talk me through it. They're always happy to guide me through it or even let me shadow them to see how it's done. And then, obviously I can practice myself and then keep getting feedback to keep improving."
The company's support extends beyond technical training to include work-life balance, particularly regarding university commitments. "If you're under a little bit of stress with how much workload you've got in work and university workload, you can speak about it and figure out ways around that," Sam explains. This comprehensive support includes organised CPDs (continuous personal development) to ensure ongoing professional growth. "Everything has been smooth sailing," he reflects. "Overall, I'd say it's been really great, no real problems."
Looking to the future, Sam's goals include completing his degree, pursuing chartership, and advancing through the company ranks. His advice to others considering this path reflects both realism and optimism: "I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do when I left school – I don't think anyone really is – so I'd just say, give it a go, be open minded... It's going to get complicated. You're going to feel like you are never getting it. It's the way it is with something new. If you just carry on being open minded, keep going."
Perhaps most telling is Sam's reflection on what makes his achievements meaningful: "When you start applying all your training to your work projects, it's like, I know this, I learnt this, I can do this on my own now... it's not all for nothing. It's worth something." This sentiment captures the essence of DL's approach to professional development – creating not just technically competent engineers, but confident, independent professionals who can contribute meaningfully to the industry's future. As Sam puts it, "You get valuable training, valuable knowledge. And you make good friends as well... It’s all valuable to me."
