Metal work at schools

[Romeo R.LParticipant @romeor-l]

Kentan,

Yes i am a member of a local club, i am building loco’s as we speek, but it is such a shame that the younger community are missing out, that would be my main point it is rediculous how metal work is barely tought anywhere!

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Ok I understand now.

 

Thanks, Ketan.

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Romeo,

 

The best tip I can give you is to have a go – it will either work, or it won’t. And in either instance you will learn something.

 

I don’t know how old you are, except that you are obviously under 16. When my grandson showed his interest, I said to him, “Ok, have a go. There is only one rule – don’t hurt yourself.” I even said that I didn’t care what he broke as he will have learned something.

 

Good luck, and remember, “Those who do not try, never make mistakes!”

 

Peter G. Shaw

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Long ago but within my memory there were Central Technical Schools . These were a third option alongside Grammar and Secondary Schools . They took in young people at age around 14 who were given normal school classes but with a heavy bias towards craft and technical subjects . Their purpose was to set people up with the right background to take technical apprenticeships and enter technical branches of the armed forces .

 

They were very successful and well thought of . Inevitably with anything any good someone decided to close them all down which was a great shame . Something similar is needed now – one in every town and city .

 

MikeW

Edited By MICHAEL WILLIAMS on 11/02/2012 15:33:51

[michael burton 1Participant @michaelburton1]

hi all i left school in 2004 not that many years ago, as of the last few years in school i was the only person who had touched the lathes in many years. i for me think what was the road in to engineering apart from familey was the fact of ‘work experience’ i did 2 weeks in a local engineering workshop this then led me to get a job before i left school so the same week i was straight in to work, sadley the company went bankrupt but i learnt basic cnc programing and manual work one thing i will say is at school as others have said there was not one teacher that had used a lathe in say 10+ years i now only do it as a hobby i went down the automotive route and now have qulifacations in being a mechanic. i think if when work experience allows pick an engineering company if you can as this may be what opens the door to the engineering career that is wanted

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

MikeW, I am an Ex Army Apprentice, I joined the AAS in 1952 and spent three years at Arborfield learning to be an Instrument Technician and also a soldier.

There was another schools at Chepstow

On completion of my three years I was a Class three Technician and was posted to various places around the world, Hong Kong, Kenya and Germany and some home postings.

Along the way I aquired 1st class status and served for 25 years.

I then retired from the army and took up with a world famous Swiss surveying equipment manufacture who I served with for 25 years.

I am now retired but still work on instruments.

Basic skills and machining were the order of the day and as you went from Unit to Unit your role changed so you had to be adaptable.

One place I am in optics another in electronics.

I had a good life and enjoyed where I was sent.

After 60 years I am still in touch with lads I went to Arborfield with.

 

Clive

 

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Hi Clive ,

 

There were always lots of ex services technicians to be found in the aircraft industry . Many of the older ones were ex wartime RAF aircraft and instrument technicians but the younger ones came from all three services .

 

Generally they were all competent and some were exceptional but oddly you could always tell which service they came from by the way they did their work .

 

MikeW

 

 

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