Engineering news
Advertised apprenticeship vacancies in England rose by almost a quarter last year, according to the National Apprenticeship Service, as engineering firms gave their backing to National Apprenticeship Week.
The service said more than 37,000 places were posted on the service's website between August and October 2013, a 24% increase on the same period the previous year. The number of people applying for the places rose by 43%. There was a big rise in the number of female applicants for apprenticeships.
French engineering giant Alstom released details of what it said was a “remarkable response” to its 2014 scheme. The company, which operates in the power and transport sectors in Britain and employs 6,500 people at 30 locations around the UK, received a total of 518 applications for a total of just 27 apprenticeships in its grid, power and transport divisions.
A single apprenticeship for an electrical and mechanical engineer at its Glasgow traincare centre in Polmadie received a total of 87 applications; the 10 apprenticeships available in the power and grid businesses in Stafford saw 185 people apply, and the four apprenticeships available in Preston saw 110 people apply. The next step for suitable applicants is to take part in assessment centres that will run in Stafford, Preston and London next week.
Although Alstom's intake of apprentices for 2014 will be slightly down on last year's final figure of 36 apprentices, that year was exceptional, the company said. It is understood to have familiar concerns about the age profile of its engineering workforce. Numbers of apprenticeships have been scaled up massively in the past two years. There are now 19 apprentices in transport, compared to just one in 2012.
Terence Watson, Alstom UK president, said the skills gap in the engineering sector needed to be addressed. “It’s increasingly important that we do everything we can to address that by training up young people. Without their talent, it will be impossible to build such vital projects as new nuclear power stations, HS2 and offshore wind farms – projects we need to sustain our economic recovery.”
In addition to the apprentices, Alstom has also closed applications for its graduate scheme, with 418 applying for the 17 spaces. A total of 158 people applied for the seven positions in Stafford; 59 applied for three roles at the Midlands Traincare Centre in Wolverhampton; and 66 people applied for a single role in Preston.
The company offers three and four-year apprenticeships, including study at local colleges as well as on-the-job training at power stations, on-grid projects and at the company’s transport centres. The company also operates a Stem ambassadors programme designed to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career, and currently has nearly 150 employees regularly visiting schools and events to talk about potential career paths.
Alstom will also be attending the Big Bang Fair, which takes place next week at the NEC in Birmingham, as it helps to develop tomorrow's young engineers. The government claims it is on course to create two million apprenticeships during this parliament.