Technician Kieran exhibits technical excellence
Kieran Bullivant completed a Level 3 Apprenticeship at a government-funded catapult centre where he now excels in an advanced technician role. We asked him about his career journey to date…
When he was at secondary school, Kieran had no firm career plans. “I was all over the place,” he said. “It felt like everyone else knew exactly what they wanted to become, which courses they needed to do and which university they wanted to go to. I had absolutely no idea.
“I started studying for A-levels at sixth form in September 2015, mainly because I didn’t know any better. Everyone had simply assumed that I would go to university, but nobody had actually asked me what I wanted to do.”
Kieran left sixth form after the first year. He tried a few apprenticeships, but they “didn’t work out”, which knocked his confidence, so he decided to give himself time and space to focus on improving his mental health. He achieved this objective, thanks in no small measure to his involvement in a range of volunteer projects.
Life-changing event
Having worked hard to rebuild his self-confidence and mental resilience, in 2018 Kieran attended an open evening hosted by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Coventry, where he learned about the apprenticeships that were on offer.
MTC Coventry is a Catapult centre, funded by the UK government. It helps innovative businesses to get their high-tech ideas off the ground by providing access to cutting-edge equipment and technical expertise.
Attending the open evening was a life-changing experience for Kieran: “Although everyone had always assumed that I was academically focused, I actually learn best by being ‘hands on’. When I saw all the equipment at the MTC I found it exciting – I didn’t know what any of it did, but I definitely wanted to find out.
“The event rekindled my passion for creativity, design and engineering. I was keen to try something new and see if this career path was for me, so I applied for an apprenticeship the very next day.”
Eager apprentice
In September 2018 Kieran embarked on a three-year Level 3 Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship.
“I worked on quite an array of projects during my apprenticeship,” he said. “The study modules ranged from fluid power and traditional machining to robotics, while at MTC Coventry I had the privilege of working with the likes of Rolls Royce on large-scale HIP [hot isostatic processing] vessels and learned skills like laser-cutting and drilling, to help develop parts for net zero and clean energy.”
Determined to get the most out of his apprenticeship, Kieran said: “I always tried to ‘get stuck in’ and help out wherever I could. I learned how important it is to do the best that I can and to keep asking questions, challenging thought processes and opening discussions for improvement.”
Kieran’s pursuit of knowledge and his active engagement accelerated his learning: in 2021 he was the first of his cohort to complete the apprenticeship; and he was the deserving winner of MTC Coventry’s Apprentice of the Year Award.
Skilled technician
Kieran then took on a permanent Technician role at MTC. Twelve months later, he was promoted to Advanced Technician.
“My work ranges from metal powder and vacuum systems to laser-cutting, braiding new materials and experimental patterns. Sometimes I focus on higher-level tasks, like resolving quality issues, developing improvement techniques and looking at new equipment or health and safety systems.
“While some jobs take only an hour to complete, larger projects can take several weeks. Every job is different and I’m often presented with something I’ve not done before, which makes the work challenging but worthwhile.
“My favourite project to date involved creating microscopic pores in items to advance clean energy in the hydrogen sector – looking at the results through powerful SEMs [scanning electron microscopes] was simply mind-blowing.
Going the extra mile
Kieran’s attention to detail and flexible approach have served him well throughout his time at MTC Coventry, as has his determination to get involved in challenging projects and to encourage other young people to consider an engineering career. His efforts have not gone unnoticed: in 2022 he was presented with MTC Coventry’s Outstanding Contribution Award.
He made a big impact at a national level when he helped to put the spotlight on technician careers by featuring in a video as part of the permanent (10-year) Technology Makes it Happen exhibit at the National Science Museum’s David Sainsbury Gallery. Kieran’s involvement in and commitment to this project resulted in him receiving the Royal Society’s 2023 Hauksbee Award.
He feels “empowered” by his IET membership: “Nowadays university is not the only recognised pathway. I’m living proof of that. I went down the apprenticeship route and have been able to gain a Level 3 qualification and become registered as TMIET [Technician Member of the IET].”
Kieran finds the IET’s Career Manager very useful to track his CPD [continuous professional development]. It ‘does what it says on the tin’, by helping him to track where he has advanced in his skills, which training courses he has completed and reflect on how much he has changed during the previous year.
In the short to medium term, Kieran plans to keep advancing his skillset across a range of engineering themes and technologies.
He said: “For me, it’s crucial to keep learning and adapting. I don’t hold my future in a rigid framework because life is ever-changing – importantly, I now understand that this is a good thing! I would like to advance myself as a technician and one day become a chartered engineer.”
One thing’s for sure: if he maintains his current trajectory, Kieran’s future looks very bright indeed.