Alex Opoku

See his journey from apprentice to coach and senior technician

Meet Alex, one of Eryk’s technicians who recently embraced a new role as a coach and senior technician, transitioning from being an apprentice. In this role, he is committed to helping apprentices overcome challenges, enhance their skills, and ultimately succeed in their professional journey.

Alex alongside other top-performing graduates from the Ghana Greentech Academy located in the Mim region of Ghana, joined Eryk’s apprenticeship program in 2019 at the early stages of Eryk in Africa (click here) movement. His passion and commitment to the job have earned him excellence and career progression here in Eryk.

Alex’s Perspective on his role as coach and senior technician

We asked Alex about the significance of his new role, and here’s what he had to say:

“I’m very delighted and honoured. I see this as very supportive of my career, providing opportunities for continuous learning and personal growth. Most importantly, coaching allows me to share my knowledge and experience while contributing to the success of our team. I used to coach some of my colleagues back in school and it’s a pleasure to experience the same in this role.”

At the beginning of his journey here at Eryk, he watched senior technicians coach him into strengthening his technical skills, and now he is doing the same for the younger recruits.  Reflecting on his experience as an apprentice in the apprenticeship program (click here), Alex shares how it prepared him for this moment:

“My experience in the apprenticeship program has indeed helped me very much. I got to learn a lot during the program with determination and passion. Also, with the guidance of most of our prestigious team leaders, I have gained some skills to coach our new apprentices. And I can boldly say the program has shaped me into another person.”

Alex shares his passion for shaping the professional journey of those he now coaches:

“My goal towards the apprenticeship coaching is to inspire, shape, and encourage our apprentices into improving their skills and achieving their professional goals. I will coach them with every step that I took during my training in the program, and with that, I believe they will succeed as well.”

Alex tells us that his coaching style has been influenced by memorable experiences, particularly a project in Denmark:

“I got to develop my coaching style from a lot of projects, especially industrial automation projects, but there was one certain project in Denmark that I believe has most influenced my coaching methods. I met one of our team leaders on that project, and with his guidance, I was able to gain additional knowledge. Now I observe, build trust, encourage and support the apprentices I coach to ask questions.”

Advice for Apprentices

For apprentices in the apprenticeship program, Alex has a simple yet valuable advice:

“Be curious not only about what you are learning but also about your surroundings when on a project. Observe and learn from others and your seniors, especially the team leaders. Be honest and humble. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about what you don’t understand.”

Alex’s journey from apprentice to coach and senior technician shows the growth and development opportunities available at Eryk. Through mentorship and dedication, we continue to inspire the next generation of technical professionals.

👉 You can also read more about his journey – Click here