Wesley Washington spent his four-year apprenticeship working in production, spares, research and development and also consisted of shorter placements within applications, production, logistics and product management, at the optical systems and optoelectronics manufacturer. Following completion of his apprenticeship, Wesley took on the full-time role of test engineer. After completing his HNC he moved into a field service engineer’s position before the opportunity in sales became available.
With a keen interest in engineering, Wesley was initially torn between the idea of studying at university or taking a vocational approach, but an apprenticeship offer from ZEISS in 2013 set him on his extraordinary path.
“I have always been a visual learner. At school I was typically better at my coursework than exams, so I thought that the hands-on approach was the best way to go.” Wesley recalls: “Throughout my time as an apprentice, I was encouraged to explore different roles that interested me and as I explored the company and all the roles that ZEISS had to offer, I felt more determined to find one that suited me. I ended up working in many departments during and following my apprenticeship, from the service support centre to going out into the world repairing systems as a field service engineer to get a true sense of all the areas of the company. The apprenticeship with ZEISS enabled me to meet groups of people with different skill sets and experience every aspect of the company.”
Wesley was soon approached by senior members of the sales department, who had spotted his natural ability to engage with people. With initial reservations about exploring a new career pathway, Wesley was able to have open discussions with high level individuals across sales and was reassured that the role was right for him. Wesley was supported to explore the sales role through a short 6-month mentorship before an opportunity that he could apply for came up.
“ZEISS encourages all of its apprentices to explore different positions and find a path that’s right for them. The company has an incredibly strong feedback culture where support is nurtured right from the top. This allowed me to have some very honest conversations with the team, which gave me the confidence to apply for the role. My department manager at the time even gave me the opportunity to shadow account managers and partake in sales training courses to give me experience of the division. The great thing about the company is that everyone is free to talk and ask questions.”
Making the change from an engineer to a sales-based role is, at first glance, a monumental shift in a career, but Wesley carried through the skills he previously developed into his new role.
Building trust with prospective buyers and existing customers with his wealth of experience, Wesley’s transition into sales has been seamless. With an in-depth knowledge of the products and systems that he’s selling, he has built a strong sense of trust with people who know that he will be able to provide them with valuable insights.
Louise Wilkinson, Career Development Lead at ZEISS said: “Our apprenticeship scheme at ZEISS is designed to ensure that no matter what level or sector our employees join, there is always a clear route to an exciting position that suits them. Wesley’s journey with us is a great example of how our engineering apprentices can freely move throughout departments and explore potential career paths. With many products and innovations on offer at ZEISS, it’s vitally important that our apprentices get to experience multiple aspects of the business and get to grips with what we offer here. This, in turn, allows them to understand the business as a whole and seamlessly manoeuvre themselves into their future career path.”
The ZEISS apprenticeship programme has been running in the UK since 2010 with 10 placements currently taking place within engineering, the customer partner team, and marketing and business operations. While the number of apprenticeships varies year on year, ZEISS continues to regularly provide multiple new opportunities across the business.
Wesley believes that the decision to take an apprenticeship with ZEISS was a turning point in his life and now wants to encourage others to believe in themselves and take the opportunity of an apprenticeship for themselves.
“I didn’t have much confidence at school but as soon as I started working, I felt like everything clicked into place. With an apprenticeship, you’re learning and earning at the same time which really helped with my circumstances at the time. My apprenticeship gave me the foundations I needed to grow while also opening the door to so many incredible opportunities that I never knew I would get to experience. ZEISS may have opened the door for me, but the passion and determination for engineering was always there, and, as my confidence grew, so did that desire to progress to where I am today. I would absolutely encourage anyone who is passionate about science and engineering to seriously consider taking an apprenticeship as the opportunities you get are unrivalled.”
For more information on ZEISS and the apprenticeships it offers young people across Cambridgeshire visit – www.zeiss.co.uk/career.
