Congratulations Connor on completion of 4-year Apprenticeship

02 AUGUST 2022

Congratulations to Connor Mair who celebrates completing his 4-year Apprenticeship at Motive Offshore Group, becoming a Time-served Machinist.

We wanted to celebrate Connor's success and share his Apprenticeship journey, which all began with a Saturday job at Motive in 2016.

Pictured with James Gregg, COO @ Motive Offshore Group

Connor came fully onboard at Motive after leaving school to embark on a 4-year Apprenticeship.

Attending college 3 days a week to earn his NC and PEO (Performing Engineering Operations) and working at Motive the remaining 2 days helped Connor gain essential skills in a workplace setting.

A key benefit of a Motive Apprenticeship in our Engineering division is that it works on a rotation basis, meaning apprentices get the opportunity to experience working across all departments.

Connor initially worked in fitting alongside Fitting Chargehand Alan Dalgarno which he really enjoyed, and admits he wasn’t keen on the rotation aspect of the apprenticeship at first, fully intending to remain in fitting:

At college I didn’t really like machining, but once I experienced working on big jobs in a real workshop setting with larger lathes, I found I had a knack for machining and really enjoyed it. It’s rewarding delivering the work to such high standards and I soon gained in ability, making me confident I could put in a good standard of work.

I especially enjoy working on the largescale, longer-term jobs. You get a real sense of satisfaction seeing the contribution your input has made at the end of a project.

What was your proudest moment during your Apprenticeship?

"My most memorable and proudest moment was on a job replacing the motor on a hose reeler that involved carrying out bolt torquing at a high setting inside a drum - so working in a very confined space. It was hot work and took a long time, so I had to make regular breaks to grab water! I felt a huge sense of pride in completing such a challenging job."

Connor is great to work with and a real asset to our Team. He is a versatile, hardworking individual who takes immense pride in his work.

- Ryan Sutherland, Machine Shop Chargehand @ Motive Offshore Group

What can Apprentices expect at Motive?

"The day starts out with a toolbox talk; this involves planning for the day and jobs are assigned.

There is always something new coming into the workshop, so you are continually learning. The beauty of the rotation is you have supervised access to all areas, so you get to see a lot which really helps you decide your future path.

Everyone in the workshop is extremely supportive. They don’t expect you to come in knowing everything, just that you are enthusiastic, prepared to work hard, and willing to keep learning."

Finally, what's your advice to new apprentices?

Put in the graft, show willing, and push yourself! When I first started, I was absolutely determined to show the team that I was a hard worker who would never give up or shy away from opportunities.

- Connor Mair, Machinist @ Motive Offshore Group

With Ben Coutts

Connor has done incredibly well and I’m sure will continue to go from strength to strength. It’s always very rewarding seeing young people complete their Apprenticeships.

Motive has a well-structured Apprenticeship programme providing excellent opportunities, all made possible thanks to our established team of industry experts who couldn’t be more supportive of young people entering the working environment.

- Ben Coutts, Engineering Division Managing Director @ Motive Offshore Group

Just one of many reasons we are so proud of our People – at Motive our entire team is dedicated to supporting our talented young people in their career journeys.

Forming a cornerstone of Motive’s People strategy, Apprenticeships help pass valuable skills along to the next generation.

Well done Connor! We hope you will enjoy a long and rewarding career at Motive.

We are exceptionally proud of our Team at Motive, and it’s important to take the time out to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our people. Connor has worked hard to get to where he is, and I’m sure will be an inspiration to future Apprentices.