Jamie White at his graduation SGN
A Project Engineer in Scotland has scooped top honours and become gas network SGN’s first Graduate Apprentice.
Jamie White, 26, who works in Transmission Major Projects (Scotland), has been awarded a First-Class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Heriot-Watt University after completing the Graduate Apprenticeship scheme.
A Graduate Apprenticeship in Scotland combines university-level study with paid, full-time work, allowing apprentices to earn a degree while gaining practical experience.
Graduate Apprentices split their time between work and university, but most learning happens on the job, where the work directly contributes to their degree.
Through the scheme, apprentices receive practical, hands-on experience where they can apply their learning to real-world projects, something Jamie said had a huge impact on him:
Jamie said:
“Looking back on my time as a Graduate Apprentice, the thing that stands out the most is how quickly I was trusted to contribute to real projects. I wasn’t just sitting in a classroom learning theory; I was on live sites, in design reviews, speaking with contractors and making decisions that mattered.
“Balancing a full-time role with a degree was challenging at times, but it made the learning more meaningful. Every lecture linked back to something I’d seen in the field, and every assignment became easier to understand when I could apply it directly to my job. This link between study and practice is what helped me graduate with a first-class honours degree, and more importantly, with real-world experience.”
Jamie had some advice for those considering graduate apprenticeships:
“If you learn best by doing, and you want to come out of university with both a degree and real experience behind you, a Graduate Apprenticeship is one of the strongest foundations you can get. It’s demanding at times, but the opportunities, support and exposure you gain make it worth it.
“What I valued most, though, was the feeling that I was part of something long-term. The Graduate Apprenticeship programme is a proper investment in developing engineers where we’re encouraged to ask questions, try things, and take ownership.”
Michael Gillies, Emerging Talent Manager at SGN, said:
“This is truly a fantastic achievement and is a testament to all of Jamie’s hard work and dedication. Apprentices play an important role in our industry, and we look to skilled people like Jamie to keep us moving forward as we work to decarbonise the UK’s gas network.
“Our biggest asset is the quality of our people - their training, ability and the culture of commitment that they bring are why apprenticeships are the bedrock of our future.”
“I am hugely proud of what Jamie has achieved in a few short years. He has developed from a ‘keen but green’ new start into a highly respected and valued engineer and a key member of our team in Transmission Major Projects (Scotland).
"Compared to a regular graduate (which I myself remember being in the dim and distant past), Jamie came out with a wealth of real-world experience, able to play a significant role as a trusted engineer.
"This route won’t be for everyone, as it has taken a lot of hard work on his part to be fully focused on both his academic studies and his project delivery duties, but he has pulled it off. Well done Jamie!”