A FORMER Weymouth student was given the opportunity to brief MPs at the Houses of Parliament on her apprenticeship experience.

For the first time since the pandemic, Leonardo apprentices from the aerospace engineering company’s sites across the UK were invited to the special meeting.

Amongst those was Leonardo apprentice, Kayley Manns, 25, who grew up in Stalbridge and Weymouth – attending Stalbridge Primary and Sturminster Newton High School, before studying BTEC in Outdoor Adventure at Weymouth College.

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As she was keen to work in a hands-on role that would allow her to apply maths and science, Ms Mann then decided to change her career direction and started an apprenticeship with Leonardo.

On the trip to the Houses of Parliament the apprentices had a tour of some the buildings most known rooms, including Westminster Hall. After, at a special reception, hosted by trade organisation ADS (Aerospace, Defence Security & Space), they met MPs.

Ms Mann said: “I spoke to the MPs about how I came to pursue an apprenticeship. While most young people get inspired to take up an apprenticeship through school or a careers advisor, it opened up a whole new career path for me a lot later than many 16-year-olds who would typically consider it after leaving school.

“I told the MPs that I thought it was important that these school leavers realise that their choices today don’t define their life and they can retrain and change routes. The MPs seemed fascinated by the fact that I worked in the flight shed, where we carry out the final assembly and system checks for the helicopters.

“Then you get to wheel the helicopter straight out to the flight pad just outside the shed and see it take off. Being surrounded by aircraft every day has become so normal for me that I sometimes have to remind myself that you don’t get this much excitement in every job.”

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Ms Mann not only spoke to their local MPs but also those from across the UK including Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton & Bradley Stoke, Mark Fletcher, MP for Bolsover, and Carol Monaghan, MP for Glasgow North.

Deborah Soley, Head of Apprenticeships UK who accompanied the apprentices on their trip to the Houses of Parliament said: “We have seen our apprentices really grab the opportunities we have offered them, whether through on the job training or representing our company at external events such as this visit.”