This week’s spotlight on the benefits of the apprenticeship scheme highlights the importance of the apprenticeship scheme to both employers and apprentices.
Stockton-on-Tees based, Axiom Engineering Associates are amongst those employers who are strong advocates of this initiative with their regular intake of apprentices since 2014 to support their expanding business.
This year’s theme behind the 13th Annual National Apprenticeship week is “Look Beyond” which aims to celebrate diversity and the added value that apprenticeships bring to employers, apprentices and the community.
At Axiom, we are celebrating the talent of the three existing apprentices who began their journey with the business almost 2 years ago. NDT apprenticeship technicians, Matthew Black, Daniel Connor and Jamie Frew are now on the final year of their journey as apprentices and will soon be joining the ranks as fully-fledged NDT Technicians.
The programme has involved two parts both theoretical and practical training. Theoretical support has been delivered by Skills Training who have regularly guided and led the apprentices through the NDT learning process. The programme has included NVQ Level 2 in Business Improvement Technique, Industrial Environmental Awareness and NVQ Level 3 in Non-Destructive Testing, culminating in achieving CSWIP 3.0 qualifications in Visual Welding Inspection. Progression to PCN Level 2 in Ultrasonic Testing and Eddy Current Testing will now form the next stage of their professional development.
Classroom-learning has been supported by on-site practical work led by Axiom NDT Technicians and Inspectors with exposure to a range of chemical site assets including piping systems, storage tanks and pressure vessels. Involvement in a range of work has provided the apprentices with experience in shut down situations, working extended hours and on location across the UK.
Development of personal skills has also been an aim of the process to enable apprentices to demonstrate behaviours aligned with the Axiom Mission Statement and Values. Harnessed with knowledge and experience gained from the apprenticeship programme, all three apprentices have increased in confidence and have been keen to take on additional responsibility above and beyond apprentice-level. Performing consistently well throughout the programme, they are expected to complete their three-year apprenticeship successfully.
Managing Director, Adam Potter said,” At Axiom, we’re great believers in investment in our young people. There is so much talent out there and the apprenticeship initiative is the ideal method to attract and develop fresh talent into our businesses. We want to grow our businesses in the Tees Valley and what better way by investing in home-grown talent from our local communities.”
He added, “We need to look beyond traditional routes into employment and encourage more businesses to adopt this scheme to reduce the skills gap but also to provide opportunities for fulfilling, future career in engineering. At Axiom, this also supports our success planning strategy to ensure we can continue to deliver the engineering services to meet the expectations of our clients in years to come.”
Previous successful Axiom apprenticeships include Daniel Burridge and Adam Foxton who are currently working on their second year of the Non-Destructive Testing FdSc and next year, will move onto the Non-Destructive Testing BSc (Hons).
Axiom has begun its next phase of expansion after opening a new office in Grangemouth in October 2019 with a further office planned in February 2020 in Runcorn. It is expected that further apprentices will be employed under The National Apprenticeship Scheme at a later date.
For more information about the National Apprenticeship scheme at: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/#