William McHarg, an 18-year-old apprentice engineer at Alex Begg, completed a two-day BOMSA Boiler Course in Newbie-Annan, Scotland, with support from UKFT’s Young Textile Technician Fund.

William found the two-day training invaluable for his growth and progress within the industry. He enhanced his knowledge of boilers and steam and gained skills that will allow him to tackle future problem-solving tasks with Cochran Boilers.

“For 2 days in November I travelled alone south to Annan to Cochran boiler services, I took part in a course for 2 days covering the boilers and the operations, maintenance, safety and applications of the boilers. The course was highly informative, and I learned a lot not only about the boilers themselves but also about steam and the science behind it. After a day and a half of training I took 2 tests which required me to get 100% of my answers correct to achieve the award. I have learned a lot from this course, and I am now able to apply the things I have learned to my work and help develop a better understanding of boilers and steam.”

Alex Begg  is a luxury textile manufacturer specialising in handcrafted scarves, homeware and accessories made from cashmere, silk and wool-blend yarns. Operating from their factory on the West Coast of Scotland since 1866, they are the house label of Begg x Co and produce for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses.

The company believes in the importance of investing in training and developing the skills needed to efficiently operate and maintain equipment. This course will benefit the trainee and enable him to share his knowledge with colleagues, contributing to the overall improvement and upskilling of the team.

Bobby, Manager at Alex Begg, said:

“This training course will allow William to take over from our current engineer who will be finishing his career shortly. William requires this course as part of his role as an engineer at Alex Begg and also for H&S requirements. Steam is essential in our process and requires qualified personnel to look after the process safely, from the steam boiler to pipes feeding our production machines, heating, etc. This is the first part of the course. Once he has progressed in his apprenticeship William will go on the BOAS course which will give him an even greater understanding of steam and the steam boiler.’’

The Young Textile Technician Fund will cover 50% of the costs of in-depth training for young textile technicians, thanks to the generous support of The Worshipful Company of Weavers, The Worshipful Company of ClothworkersandThe Worshipful Company of Drapers.

The Young Textile Technician Fund is now open to businesses applying to train textile technicians under the age of 35. To find out more, email katie.robinson@ukft.org

Want to learn more about the Young Textile Technician Fund? Click on the link below:

UKFT’S YOUNG TEXTILE TECHNICIAN FUND