At the 7 September ceremony at Jaguar Experience, Castle Bromwich, First Group apprentice Thang Tang was shocked when his name was called as the winner in the 2023 Skills Challenge.
Recalling the moment, the modest Leeds resident says: “Once all of the apprentice categories had gone, I wasn’t expecting anything. So I loosened my tie, undid my top button, rolled up my sleeves and got more casual. So when my name was called out, I was shocked; I didn’t know what to say or what to do. Had they got it right?”
But there was no mistake; the citation called him an ‘outstanding competitor who scored exceptionally highly, particularly considering that he is a first-year apprentice.’
A casual observer would not be likely to guess that he is an apprentice, coming as it does after 17 years’ employment at First Group, mainly as a bus driver. Tang recalls: “I started with First Group in 2005 part-time, as a temporary job. I wanted to join the fire service, and thought that I would have to wait three or four months to start training. At the time my friend was driving buses, so he said: come drive buses.” When the call to join the fire service didn’t arrive, he continued to build a varied career at the company, including mentor, staff trainer and supervisor on the traffic/driving side. During the COVID period, he became disillusioned, and decided he didn’t want to work in an office any more.
“I was 43 then: a bit too old to be an apprentice.
But my bosses said ‘you’re never too old’, and encouraged me.”
Working out of the Hunslet Park Depot, Tang had to take a pay cut (not to apprentice rates, thankfully). Although he admits he has had to make financial sacrifices, “the hours are easier, and I am mentally and physically less stressed, and much happier. And it’s worth it, for my and my family’s future.”
It’s a remarkable turnaround for someone who admits that he has no engineering background at all. “I couldn’t change a tyre on a car before this course started. I tried it once, and our neighbour came running out, because I had jacked up the car in the wrong place. I never did it again.”
So he credits First Group for its support, despite his lack of experience, and in particular Craig Brown (head of engineering, First North) and Robert Batley (workshop manager, First Bus West Yorkshire). “The company has encouraged me. It knows that I work hard and have a strong work ethic. My boss says it’s hard to train that, but First Group can teach me to fix buses.”
Somewhat apprehensive about joining a class of teenage apprentices, Tang says that his tutor, Simon Bishop, engineering training manager, bus & coach, Reaseheath College, made him feel welcome. He also joined a group with a few other mature students, who stick together, particularly of an evening during the weeks away from home. “We tend to concentrate on the work while the younger ones go out to enjoy themselves.”
The mixed group has worked out, and Tang says he is enjoying the apprenticeship experience. “I feel the course delivery has been great; I learn loads, and when I come back to the depot I put it into practice.”
While he is still learning, Tang reports that so far his proudest accomplishment was replacing misfiring injectors on an older bus. Tang says: “One of my mentors helped me; he talked me through it. I felt proud that I understood what he meant. Before, I wouldn’t have had a clue, but I was able to take the cylinder injectors out and took the wire loom off, and it all made sense. I changed the injectors, and it worked.”