A full-on red-hot spark-filled introduction to the highly skilled trade in a purpose built welding bay at a training centre in overalls, workboots, visor and gloves.

My teacher was 18-year-old Archie, the most patient tutor, who diligently explained and demonstrated the basics, gently encouraging me to have a go.

He clearly loved what he was learning, spoke enthusiastically and passionately about his plans for a career in the offshore energy industry and was a fine communicator.

Archie was one of eight extraordinary young men my business partner, Louisa, and I met that day, whose lives have been transformed by this 37-week course.

I use the word extraordinary because of the incredible turnaround they had experienced, finding purpose, direction and hope they had lost so young.

Previously they might have been described “having lost their way”, which really means they had been failed in one way or another by the system.

School wasn’t their natural habitat. The one size fits all approach didn’t fit them.

Some went on to college but were either directed on to courses they didn’t want to do so dropped out, or courses they did want to do but where the teaching was erratic, with missing lecturers, which led to lack of motivation, interest and poor attendance.

The young men who met........

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