Former student becomes NWRC’s first female fabrication and welding lecturer

Partially sighted Shannon makes history by becoming a lecturer at NWRC Springtown, the campus she joined when she was 16 for a four-year apprenticeship
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A former apprentice has made history by becoming North West Regional College’s (NWRC) first ever female lecturer in fabrication and welding.

Shannon Cartin, 25, is now working as a full-time lecturer at NWRC Springtown, the campus she joined when she was 16 for a four-year apprenticeship in fabrication and welding.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She’s also gone on to work for some of the North West’s top engineering companies.

Shannon Cartin, now a female lecturer in fabrication and weldingShannon Cartin, now a female lecturer in fabrication and welding
Shannon Cartin, now a female lecturer in fabrication and welding

Ahead of Apprentice Week (February 7 -11) Shannon from Claudy, says she hopes her story will inspire other young people into careers in Crafts and Trades.

“People ask me all the time why I chose to become a welder,” said Shannon, “but the truth is it just happened. I was finishing my GCSEs at St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s and my father asked me what I wanted to do next?” To his surprise I replied: “I’m going to be an engineer.’

“A neighbour down the road who owned his own welding business at the time found out and came knocking on the door and told me I was coming to work for him. And that was that. I was 15, studying for my GCSEs and doing welding as a pastime. I got a real feel for it. The more I worked at it, the more I liked it. I loved the hands-on nature of it and being able to construct something from a couple of pieces of metal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I attended NWRC’s Open Day with my twin sister Tylor who was interested in mechanics. I asked if they did any courses in welding and the next thing I knew I was in the welding workshop talking to lecturer Gerry Burke who would go on to become my teacher and mentor.

Shannon previously completed a four-year apprenticeship in fabrication and welding at the NWRCShannon previously completed a four-year apprenticeship in fabrication and welding at the NWRC
Shannon previously completed a four-year apprenticeship in fabrication and welding at the NWRC

“It was a bit daunting at first, I walked into my first class at NWRC, and I was the only female student in the whole campus, but within a couple of days I made friends and was classed as ‘one of the boys.’

“My father asked me at 16 years of age was I sure this was what I wanted to do. I have a condition called Albinism and I am partially sighted, so I think my parents were scared I would get hurt, so were a lot of other people. I had to go through a number of health checks, but Gerry helped me through it. By that stage I was set on doing it. I’m thran like that and if anyone tells me I can’t do something you can bet I’ll give it my all to do it better than anyone ever expects.

“I was a quiet and shy person when I was younger and one of those people that hated people making a fuss over my eyesight. Gerry and Brendan (lecturers) made minor adjustments to support me throughout the course, such as allowing me to feel the pattern of the torch while they were welding, making sure I saw what was happening in a demonstration, letting me ask far too many questions and If I needed something explained a second time, it was never an issue.“

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shannon secured employment with MCM Shed & Trailers where she fabricated various parts for car trailers, then moved on to Brian Scott’s Engineering where she welded and fabricated excavation digger attachments and completed her apprenticeship. She later went to work for Limavady company A C Engineering, fabricating gates and railings.

When Gerry Burke retired last year and his job became vacant, Shannon decided to give teaching a go and was appointed as a lecturer at the Springtown Campus. She is already having an impact on the industry as she currently has two female students on the welding course.

Shannon added: “I never thought I’d see the day that I would become a lecturer, but here I am sitting at the desk that once belonged to Gerry Burke, the man who knows everything about welding and took me through my apprenticeship.

“Springtown Campus has been completely redeveloped since I was here. The students have an amazing workshop with state-of-the-art technology to train on. Gerry was once the only welding lecturer at NWRC, but as the college responds to the growing demand from local employers who need skilled welders in the local area, we now have four amazing lecturers each bringing their own industry experience and knowledge to the next generation of welders.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Of course, people are sometimes surprised when they come into the workshop and see a woman with blonde hair teaching the class, I’m used to that. When I was working in industry I often got mistaken for the secretary or the boss’s daughter, it then became a running joke.

“It’s a fantastic career to be in and I hope other young people who are making decisions about what to do in the next step of their lives consider learning trades like welding, plumbing and electrics.”

Shannon says that welding might not always be pretty or glamorous, but she couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

For more information on courses in Crafts Services at NWRC go to www.nwrc.ac.uk/apply

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For details of events at NWRC for NI Apprenticeship Week go to: www.nwrc.ac.uk/events

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you