Henry Adu

After leaving school with low confidence, Henry Adu is now thriving thanks to his apprenticeship with SSE and his studies at New City College Construction & Engineering campus in Rainham.

Henry, 21, is a Controls and Instrumentation apprentice and says his new job and has helped him gain confidence and overcome a stammer.

On one day a week instead of working, he attends New City College to study the Higher National Certificate in Engineering (Electrical and Electronic).

He says: “I was in secondary school, but it wasn’t really working out well. School had always been difficult for me because I was often bullied about my stammer. It took a toll on my confidence, so instead I went to Havering College – now New City College – and here, I discovered my love of engineering.

“Applying for an apprenticeship at SSE made sense. It meant I could study, learn and earn money through working. It seemed like a much better option than trying to get a part-time job while studying. I had been applying for all sorts of jobs and never getting an interview or a call-back.

“I was pleased but nervous when SSE offered me an interview. I was a bit stressed and stammered at the start, but the interviewer, who is now my manager, was able to put me at ease. He told me that he also had a stammer as a kid and shared some techniques with me to help with the interview.

“I was really surprised to get a call saying I had been successful and had the job! It has been going very well since I started. I am enjoying the work and I am gaining qualifications, so I have options for the future too.”

See the full story and find out more about apprenticeships at SSE.

See all the courses we offer at NCC’s Construction & Engineering campus in Rainham.