Placement overview
Name: Khalil
Age: 17
Duration: 4 weeks
Location: Lebrija, Spain
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‘I experienced a different style of plumbing which was great, as it portrayed to me how Spanish people live a completely different lifestyle to us in the UK. ‘
The motivation
My tutors had shared the opportunity with me but the aspiration to travel, come across new people and throw myself into a completely new environment, motivated me to work hard and earn a place to go to Spain for 4 weeks.
The placement
I knew that working abroad would be completely different to how we work back at home, so I wanted to get that experience and learn new Spanish techniques. I mostly assisted a plumber with air conditioning and underfloor heating. I experienced a different style of plumbing which was great, as it portrayed to me how Spanish people live a completely different lifestyle to us in the UK. I now feel that if I had to fit any underfloor heating or conditioning pipes, I would be comfortable to do it without any assistance or supervision.
The location
Lebrija is a city full of warm and welcoming people. There were a lot of things to do such as going to the beach, visiting monuments, going shopping and more. Plus the weather was fabulous!
The impact
My confidence, inter-personal skills and problem-solving ability were greatly boosted through this experience. Living away from home in a foreign country in an apartment full of other students, gave me a taste of independence and responsibility, which I would not have had otherwise.
My efforts throughout the placement earned me the praise of my boss and he said that he will miss me when I am not around. I am still studying for my Level 3 Plumbing course at college and hopefully will get an apprenticeship following that. This placement made me realise that I prefer developing my skills in an actual workplace.
For any future students, I would like to say that you should always stay focused and never give up on your goals. Be flexible and always look for solutions. It was a great experience for me from which I gained a lot of life lessons and skills!
Outcomes
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Exposure to a cultural experience
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Confidence building
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Improved problem-solving skills
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Enhanced ability to work independently
Collaboration and partnership is at the heart of what we do.
If you would like to find out more about the way we work, get in touch.
