We always love catching up with former students to hear about their achievements.
And so, when former NETA apprentice, Paul Oliver, reached out, it proved a real boost for the team.
Now a project director with global manufacturing company Essity, his is definitely a success story.
Describing walking back through the doors as almost “revisiting a moment from his youth”, Paul, who is originally from Redcar, was delighted to be able to return to his old stomping ground.
A former fitting apprentice, he has nothing but fond memories of the place and skills learnt that would prove the basis of a lifelong career.
Looking back to that time, he said: “I remember walking in as a scared kid of 16 in the headlights and walking out two years later, 18 and ready for anything the world could throw at me, well nearly.”
In those days, he remembers, he would cycle to NETA each day, up until he got his first car, a Hillman Avenger.
He said: “It was 1981 and Norman Tebbit had just made his “get on your bike and look for work” statement. That speech was controversial at the time, but that is exactly what I did.”
Having been unsure which direction to take when leaving school, it was luck that saw Paul spot an opportunity with NETA advertised in the local paper.
He said: “I started training with NETA and they linked me to a Newcastle company, Mr C A Parsons, the same company incidentally that made the steam turbines on the Titanic.
“I spent the third and fourth year of my apprenticeship with them, working on site on power stations installing steam turbines.”
He still has the pristine NETA workbooks, covered in handwritten notes and drawings, depicting the early foundations of his trade.
Preferring, at that age, to learn in a hands-on practical environment it all proved the ideal route for Paul who would later go on to join the Royal Air Force, changing from working on steam to gas turbines, before ultimately moving into the paper industry.
A return to academia came during that time as Paul continued his higher level studies completing an MSc in Engineering.
Now at 58 the dad-of-three is part of our proud NETA alumni and got the chance to return to Teesside while visiting his company’s Newcastle site.
NETA’s director Sean Johnston said: “It was fantastic to welcome Paul back to NETA and hear about his memories of his time as an apprentice here.
“He is a great example of where a career in engineering can take you and we can’t wait to invite him back to speak to our current learners.”
Paul said: “It is 42 years since I first walked through NETA’s doors in September 1981. When I look back, I realise that was the start of my career. The instructors gave us the skills to start work, the confidence and the ambition. And belief is everything.”
Sean is now putting calls out for NETA alumni to get in touch as part of a drive to help inspire current and future learners.
