Lewis shows drive to fix up apprenticeship

Lewis Donbavand, at Fix Auto Commercial Contract Engineers Ltd

An enthusiastic youngster has put himself on the road to employment after attending a Skills Event held on Heywood Industrial Estate recently.

Lewis Donbavand, 17, impressed bosses at Fix Auto Commercial Contract Engineers Ltd so much during the visit he has been offered an apprenticeship at the company’s panel repair shop starting in July.

The firm has also arranged for Lewis to attend a three year training course in Blackburn to ensure he gains the relevant qualifications to be a success in this sector.

Lewis, from Queensway, attended the Skills Event with his mum after his girlfriend mentioned the event ,which aims to give students and youngsters in Rochdale a taste of the careers on offer in the Borough.

While there, the chairman of Fix Auto ,Phil Ewbank, approached Lewis and asked how he had learned of the event and invited Lewis to take part in the ‘Pit Stop Challenge’ where participants were asked to change a car tyre with the help of two Fix Auto employees.

While there, Matthew Moss High School pupil, Lewis, used his initiative and secured an interview with Mr Ewbank about the possibility of some work experience at Fix Auto. After the interview he was given a tour of the building, workshop and offices.

Though all of his friends were enjoying time off during the Easter school break, Lewis took the opportunity to impress Fix Auto with his willingness to be flexible when they offered him a two week stint. He even cancelled a special one-year anniversary date with his girlfriend he had arranged months before to demonstrate his enthusiasm for the opportunity.

Lewis was hugely impressed when he arrived at Fix Auto’s “amazing” workspace and described the company’s equipment as “awesome” and couldn't wait for work experience to start.

Though understandably nervous on his first day, Lewis soon came out of his shell and once he got his overalls on, with the support of Fix Auto’s experienced staff, soon got stuck in. He spent his first week in the panel repair shop and his second in the paint shop.

Over the fortnight, he impressed bosses when learning how to prepare and apply filler, sand it off and blend into the car, how to replace a grill and fog lamps and how to prepare cars and trucks for spray painting.

Lewis’s enthusiasm and eye for detail caught the attention of chairman Phil Ewbank who has now offered Lewis an apprenticeship at the Eagle Technology Park based firm, and Lewis could not be happier.

He said: “I’m so grateful and happy that I have now got the chance to work for a top company and that my hard work has paid off.

“I’ve always been interested in working with motor vehicles and now Fix Auto has given me the chance of a brilliant career, I’m going to make the most of this opportunity.”

Phil Ewbank said Lewis’s determination made him stand out from the crowd and offering him a traineeship was an easy decision. He said: “Fix Auto is a proud Rochdale firm and we always look for youngsters who show a real work ethic and pride in tasks they undertake.

“This a great company to work for and if we can get young people like Lewis in early enough to mould them into skilled Fix Auto employees it can only be good for the future of our company, and of course great for our customers who demand the high levels of service we provide.

“I’ve no doubt in the years to come Lewis will make a fine addition to the Fix Auto family.”

Cllr Donna Martin, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families said: “It is always a real boost to hear of enterprising young people taking the initiative and we devised the Skills Event precisely to empower young jobseekers to grasp opportunities when they arise.

“Apprenticeship numbers have doubled in the borough over the last three years, however we still have issues with large numbers of unemployed 18-24 year olds and it’s vital that we do what we can to raise their aspirations.

“By showcasing opportunities available in and around the borough, young people can get access to relevant on the job experience, training and qualifications which will make them attractive in a competitive marketplace.”