Danish apprentices doing Noble business

Alex F Noble & Son, the family owned and run Midlothian car dealership, has teamed up with Edinburgh College to host two young Danish mechanics on an apprentice exchange scheme.

Kasper Dahlgaard (20) and Bryan Sirbaugh (32) both live close to the village of Thisted in the north west of Denmark and have been working at the dealership’s Subaru/Isuzu and Nissan premises at Penicuik and Straiton respectively as service and maintenance mechanics for the last 2 months out of a 3 month placement.

Robert Docherty, a lecturer in automotive engineering at Edinburgh College’s Midlothian campus in Dalkeith, heads up the apprentice exchange scheme and facilitated both students’ stay at Alex F Noble & Son. He said: “Edinburgh College has been working in partnership with the EUC Nordvest school for vocational training in Thisted for many years to offer an apprentice exchange scheme to third year engineering and automotive apprentices.

“The idea of the scheme is to let them experience the industry in which they work in another country and culture. It also helps the Danish apprentices with their English and I believe this is very important to them. Furthermore it gives them an opportunity to visit Scotland and spend some time enjoying all it can offer while earning at the same time.

“Last year’s apprentice, Mark Daniel Dam, really enjoyed his time at the Alex F Noble & Son Subaru/Isuzu dealership at Penicuik, so I was delighted the firm was again happy to participate in this year’s scheme by offering, for the first time, two placements at both the Subaru/Isuzu dealership in Penicuik and the Nissan dealership at Straiton”.

Alex F Noble Nissan dealer principal, David Noble, said: “Both Kasper and Bryan are exceptionally talented lads and are to be commended for their dedicated work ethic. The exchange scheme has again been a win/win experience for all concerned and we’re very happy we were able to offer two placements this year and look forward to continuing with the scheme next year”.

Both Kasper and Bryan complete their stay at the dealership at the end of June before returning to Denmark.

Kasper said: “I was delighted when my teacher back home asked me if I wanted to participate in the exchange scheme and work in Scotland. I’m really enjoying my stay here”.

Bryan said: “Alex F Noble & Son is a great company to gain more experience and further my skills and I’m also loving Scotland. It is such a beautiful country and the people are so nice”.

Both agreed that they would be sad to leave but hope to come back very soon.

For more information on the apprentice exchange scheme, contact Robert Docherty at Edinburgh College T 0131 344 7508 or email robert.docherty@edinburghcollege.ac.uk

Picture shows Danish mechanics, Kasper Dahlgaard (right) and Bryan Sirbaugh at work at Alex F Noble & Son

Submitted by Iain Reekie