A PACKAGING apprentice has his career all wrapped up after graduating from a bespoke collaboration between industry and education.
Darlington College Level 3 BTEC manufacturing engineering student Dylan Brydon, 23, of Bishop Auckland, is set to take up a full time position with GSK, in Barnard Castle, after securing a packing technology apprenticeship with the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare company.
Curriculum manager for engineering and science at Darlington College Neil Bowen said: “We were approached by GSK after they recruited Dylan to their apprenticeship programme. We discussed the different pathways and courses available that would match such a specialist industry role and enable Dylan to develop his skills while also gaining relevant qualifications.
“We had never been asked to accommodate a packing technologist apprenticeship before so to be able to cater for such a unique request really proved the flexibility of our BTEC engineering programme to sit alongside such a specialist job role.”
Dylan allowed by GSK to attend the course for a day a week and in his new role will be responsible for working with a team to design, develop and manufacture packaging for a range of products for the pharmaceutical industry.
Technology packing lead for GSK Dean Stephenson said: “This is the first time that GSK has offered a packing technology apprenticeship.
“We have worked with Darlington College in the past to help us support other GSK apprentices in engineering, manufacturing and art and design, so it was a natural progression to see if they could provide a course that would allow Dylan to gain the relevant technical knowledge to become one of GSK’s future experts.
“It is important for GSK to grow our talent and nurture young people within the industry. Throughout the whole process we were in regular contact with the college, who provided excellent support in what has proved to be a really positive relationship.”
Dylan, who is currently considering extending his qualifications, added: “GSK has invested a lot of time and resources in my apprenticeship and I now want to use the practical learning experience to further my career development within the company.
“Being an apprentice gives you hands on experience of learning on the job alongside the opportunity to study for a relevant qualification at college.
“The support I had from the college was really good and learning while earning has been brilliant for me.”
For more information on opportunities at Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk.