Throughout #NationalApprenticeshipWeek2023 we have been learning more about Fairline’s current apprentices and what traits make a good Fairline apprentice. So, to round off the week, we wanted to delve deeper into the experiences of some previous Fairline apprentices who have gone on to build a great career at Fairline, develop exceptional boat building skills, and who have progressed within the company.
We caught up with Jack Blakestone, Production Manager, who joined Fairline as an apprentice in 2008, and Luke Palmer, Team Leader on one of our Fit Out footprints, whose journey as a Fairline apprentice started in 2005.
Why did you decide to join Fairline as an apprentice?
Jack – I thought the idea of being a boat builder was really cool! I wanted to be a carpenter and being able to do this, whilst working on boats at the same time, was highly appealing. I was 17 when I joined and before that I’d been doing an apprenticeship on a building site and decided to change to come to Fairline. I knew Fairline was a well-known brand across the world, and a local company, and that appealed to me.
Luke – Joining Fairline as an apprentice at 18 gave me the chance to be a part of a large company and meet lots of new people. I had the opportunity to learn some critical skills in a trade that provided me with great career prospects. I liked the idea of working on a high-quality product and we’re in a unique position of working on boats in the Northamptonshire countryside – something that is very unique, but we make it work well! I like that the boats and brand have a local history, too. Around 270 people applied for the intake I was in, and I was one of a lucky 10 who was successful and joined the company, so I felt very fortunate to be given the opportunity.
What has been some of the highlights?
Jack – Some of my highlights include making some great friends and working with lots of very talented people. Throughout my time I’ve been able to learn lots of different skills.
In August 2022 I became the Production Manager for one of our key boat lines, after being a Team Leader for four years and a Senior Team Leader for a year. This new opportunity means I’m developing even more skills; I’m proud of everything I’ve achieved and the potential to progress my career has been very rewarding.
Luke – A key highlight has been the opportunity to travel around the world to work on boats in various locations; standouts include Miami and Cannes. As well as this, recently making the step up to Team Leader for the footprint I have worked on has also been great. Watching the company grow and introduce new boat lines is always exciting and I look forward to seeing what 2023 has to offer!
What would you say to someone looking to join a Fairline apprenticeship?
Jack – If you are willing to work hard, follow instructions, and work well as part of a team, you can really achieve anything. There is big opportunity and potential to do lots of interesting things. The company is always evolving by introducing new boat lines and models; with them comes new roles and responsibilities so you can apply for promotions and progress. If you have the ambition, Fairline can give you the opportunity to fulfil your potential as an apprentice, and beyond. When I joined, I never thought I would climb the ladder and one day be a production manager, so it really does provide the opportunity to excel and learn new skills (I’m now using a computer more than I ever have!). I like being able to work closely with a team who achieve great things day in, day out.
Luke – Go for it! It’s a unique skill and not something that is readily available in this part of the country. We always get great feedback on our finished boats and the skills I’ve learnt I can use elsewhere; I’ve developed some cool things in my own home that my friends and family love! You’ll genuinely learn skills for life which are transferrable into other industries, and my eye for detail now is far superior to what it was when I was at school. The people I work closely with daily I also class as friends, so Fairline has, and continues to be, a big part of my life.
It’s great to learn more about Jack and Luke’s journey with Fairline and what they’ve achieved here.
Our engineering and carpentry/joinery apprenticeship recruitment for 2023 will be commencing very shortly. We’ll be on the lookout for people who are passionate about taking on an apprenticeship in either of these trades. Want to know more about what makes a good Fairline apprentice? Check out this article.
If you’d like further information on our Apprenticeship programme, please reach out to hr@fairline.com and we will be in touch.