Systems Technician Apprentice Case Study
Helen McKinnon is a Systems Technician apprentice at the RNLI. She is 18 and is in the first year of her four year apprenticeship with the charity.
‘I like that my apprenticeship is really varied, no day is the same. I get to travel a lot as part of the role, visiting different lifeboat stations and helping maintain the equipment.’
‘I help maintain the equipment for the whole of Scotland. This includes looking after the lifeboats, the launching equipment such as the tractors, as well as lifeguard support equipment – so the patrol vehicles, jet-skis and quad bikes.
‘I’m really enjoying my apprenticeship, everyone is really nice and it’s exciting and interesting getting to visit so many places.
‘The RNLI really supports me in my apprenticeship, especially with the college side of things. I’ve just spent a week at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset, during an Electric Course which has been really helpful. I spend one week a month at college, and in terms of coursework and exams it isn’t too bad currently. I’ve got a couple of exams coming up in the next few months.
‘Over the course of my last two years at school, I did a foundation apprenticeship. It was like the first year of a general engineering apprenticeship but spread over my last two years of school. Before I did this, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I really enjoyed it, and during my final year of school I decided it was something I wanted to continue with. I looked at apprenticeships and chose to apply for this one with the RNLI because it sounded really interesting.
‘To anyone thinking about doing an apprenticeship, and particularly this apprenticeship, I would say to go for it, definitely. It’s really hands-on, and to me it seems a lot more interesting than sitting in college.’
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.