The first apprentices on a new weapon engineering scheme have successfully graduated.
Students on the Weapons Sub-specialisation Accelerated Apprenticeship have finished Phase 3 of their training at HMS Collingwood, in Fareham.
The nine-month course is part of the Leading Engineering Technician (Weapon Engineering) qualifying course which started almost two years ago.
The apprentices joined Collingwood from HMS Raleigh to complete their Phase 2 training, which they completed in September last year.
Following their graduation from Phase 2, the students embarked on HMS Queen Elizabeth for their initial sea training. During this time, they began to learn about each of the weapon engineering sections on board looking at how they are run and the different roles required to manage the department.
They were also able to shadow more experienced engineering technicians and leading engineering technicians, helping them to understand their future roles and responsibilities once they are fully qualified.
In January, the group began Phase 3 training to learn the bedrock of the skills and knowledge required to prepare them to join the fleet as future section heads.
LET Thomas Porton, 20, from Washington, said: “It enabled me to learn more about how to be a leading hand, and helped me to develop my diagnostic skills.”
Having graduated they will now undertake their Leading Rates Leadership Course at the Royal Navy Leadership Academy, at HMS Collingwood, which they will complete next month. After this they will be fully trained and qualified leading hands ready to join their first ships in their new, management positions.
LET Jack Boyle, from Birmingham, will join HMS St Albans on completion of his course. The 20-year-old said: “I enjoyed the course because we did more practical training, getting hands on with equipment, preparing us for our roles on board a ship.”
