Sunday September 8 2024
Swindon & Wiltshire News
Swindon-based Develop Training is celebrating 10 years of delivering its successful Gas Networks Apprenticeship Programme.
By helping to create a sustainable, multi-skilled workforce of the future, the programme has trained over 2,000 gas network trainees to date from across the UK, for leading companies including National Grid.
The utilities industry is set to recruit over 200,000 utility staff to replace a workforce that will retire by 2023.
The Employer Ownership of Skills (EOS) pilot scheme, which was officially launched on June 9, has received Government investment of £33 million to create 70,000 learning opportunities; to help secure the future workforce for the UK’s energy and utilities industry.
Develop Training, the UK’s leading independent technical training provider, work with a number of utilities companies such as Scotia Gas Networks, Northern Gas Networks, Balfour Beatty and National Grid, to attract people towards a career in utility engineering.
John Kerr, business director of the utilities division at Develop Training, said: “We are delighted to celebrate our 10th year of providing utility apprenticeships and we are proud of our record of achieving 95 percent retention and achievement rates for our delegates.
“The Employer Ownership of Skills scheme is a great opportunity for employers to plan and implement bespoke training programmes for both apprentices and other staff.
“This will give the utilities sector renewed optimism and a much need boost to secure the future of the utilities workforce.”
Glynn Barber, Technical Academy Manager at National Grid said: “Apprenticeships are a key means of delivering a skilled, dynamic workforce and giving young people futures and careers of which they can be proud.
“More than this however, apprenticeships help us develop the skills needed to operate our vital national assets to the highest standards.
“Develop Training has been a key partner in helping us develop and deliver our incredibly successful training and apprenticeship programmes.”
Mr Kerr added: “Our sights at Develop Training are firmly set on the next decade helping the utility industry to plug the projected 50 percent gap in head count and create a sustainable, multi-skilled workforce of the future.”
