We recently spoke with former JTL electrical apprentice, Mazidur Rahman, who reached the final of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards 2023, beating thousands of other apprentices to be shortlisted.
Mazidur, aged 25 from East Sussex, started his educational journey towards becoming an apprentice by undertaking his Level 2 and Level 3 Diplomas in Electrical Installation at college.
After completing college, Mazidur felt that applying for an electrical apprenticeship seemed like the next natural step to take in his career. He was keen to learn from those that had real-world experience in the sector and that could enrich his existing knowledge.
Creating his own path and overcoming obstacles
Mazidur has always been passionate about carving his own path in life and providing for his family in Bangladesh, fuelling his motivation to achieve his apprenticeship qualification in the electrotechnical field.
“Doing an apprenticeship wasn’t the norm for my family, I had a cousin that was a qualified gas engineer, but they were the only other person in our family to do that for generations. It wasn’t what was expected of us.”
Mazidur’s journey has not been without obstacles. His initial Electrotechnical Apprenticeship faced a setback when his employer went bankrupt. As Mazidur tried to find a new employer, he worked a multitude of roles during his search including a junior solar engineer, customer service manager, and delivery driver.
After two years of persisting with his job search, Mazidur managed to find a new employer in 2016, allowing him to complete his apprenticeship qualification.
Reflecting on his experience, Mazidur said, “There have been some challenges thrown at me on my journey to becoming qualified, such as moving to online learning during the global pandemic. However, these challenges have made achieving my goal feel like an even greater accomplishment and have made me grateful for the ongoing support I received from my JTL Training Officer along the way.”
This year, Mazidur successfully completed his apprenticeship and now works as a regional electrician covering the southeast region of England for Park Holidays UK, one of the largest holiday park operators in the UK.
“My job requires a lot of responsibility in terms of customer services, which I really enjoy. We can get called out at any time, so it’s important for us to be responsive to meet the needs of different customers, such as those with children, disabilities or anyone elderly.”
Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards
Mazidur, born in Bangladesh, actively champions the need for diversity across the trade industries, challenging stereotypes associated with qualified electricians.
“I was really keen to do something different, as an Asian person there are expectations from people that there are only certain jobs we can do. I really wanted to change that, and not do what other people expected me to.”
Mazidur’s story serves as an inspiration for individuals from diverse backgrounds aspiring to enter the industry.
In October, Mazidur was commended for his diligence when he was announced as a finalist in the Engineering and Manufacturing category at the 2023 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards.
The awards shine a light on the achievements of multicultural apprentices and provide recognition for their supporting training provider and employer too.
“The awards ceremony was a great experience to be a part of and provided a good opportunity to network with fellow apprentices, along with members of the JTL team too.
“I also reconnected with my old Training Officer, who was the person that got me involved in the industry in the first place, so it was lovely to reflect on how far I had come in my journey with him.”
Emerging green technologies
Through his apprenticeship with JTL, Mazidur has become acquainted with a variety of green technologies and has carried these skills into his current role, which has a particular focus on solar panels. He believes it’s important for apprentices to be trained to acquire key green skills to help meet the increasing demand for emerging technologies, in line with the Government’s net-zero targets.
Mazidur’s story serves as an exemplar of inspiration for future apprentices to break the mould of industry stereotypes, emphasising the broader societal impact of fostering inclusivity to create a well-rounded and diverse future workforce.
When asked what advice he would give to anyone thinking about starting an apprenticeship in the building services engineering sector, Mazidur said, “You won’t get another opportunity like it to earn while you learn and you also gain plenty of skills along the way, such as teamwork and customer services.”
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