Since our early years, Ergro have supported many Apprentices each year as part of our ongoing commitment to provide industry opportunities and skills development for young people.
All our Apprentices experience the same working day as our fully qualified staff members. As well as having 1 x day per week for paid study time, our Apprentices spend the rest of their week attending live Ergro projects and maintenance visits, logging their times and completing the standard job paperwork as our other engineers do, preparing them for their eventual full-time role with us.
Each Apprentice is equipped with their own tools, vehicle, fuel card and company phone. We provide them opportunities to move around different departments in the business, allowing them to experience different roles within the industry.
During the course of their training, our Apprentices are guided along via various structured support processes, including:
- Monthly reviews with the training provider/college to discuss the Apprentices performance and to ensure we are providing the correct opportunities to enhance the college programme.
- Monthly meeting with the Managing Director and QSHE Director. All Apprentices attend this meeting, during which any of their concerns are addressed, their progress is reviewed, advice is shared, ambitions are discussed and improvement suggestions.
We caught up with 2 of our current Apprentices, Max and Harry, to ask them about their own experiences as part of Ergro’s Apprenticeship programme…
When fully qualified, what will your role be and what are you most looking forward to when you qualify?
When I am fully qualified, I will be recognised as a competent pipefitter. I will attend jobs relating to the heating and plumbing industry. Once qualified, I am most looking forward to being able to attend and complete jobs by myself, as I will be growing and improving my independence as a pipefitter.
What attracted you to this industry and qualification?
This industry was attractive to me as there is always wide demand and need for heating engineers. Furthermore, with the changing outlook on heating our homes and offices using alternative methods to gas, it provides a career that has a future.
What is the next qualification you would like to do to support your career progression?
The next qualification I would like to achieve is my Level 4 in Engineering. I would also like to further my knowledge in the electrical field.
Harry Brierley – Heating & Ventilation Apprentice studying 4-year course to Level 3 Building Services Craftsperson.
What do you love most about your job and your course?
I love that my job is active and that I’m not sat behind a desk all day.
The course that I am on is very relevant to what I do on-site and it’s also giving me a further insight into other technical aspects of the industry.
What would you like to do with your career after this apprenticeship?
I would like to further my career and become trained in various different courses that will make me an asset to my company and an important figure.
Max King – Heating & Ventilation Apprentice studying 4-year course to Level 3 Building Services Craftsperson