Mitsubishi Electric has announced the launch of the second year of its successful National Apprenticeship Scheme to find and train the air conditioning and building services engineers of the future.
The programme is being run in conjunction with 17 of the company’s air conditioning partners; a number of which are taking-on apprentices for the second year running.
Apprentice Joseph Clarke of Temperature Control, from the first year’s cohort summed-up the benefits: “I am gaining great on site experience and learning different types of methods and techniques from a range of engineers, which I'm finding really helpful. I am also finding the theory taught in college is proving very beneficial for then taking it on site and using it”.
William Stow, who joined Watford Refrigeration under the scheme was also full of praise: “I'm really enjoying the mixture between work and college and being able to earn money whilst learning a trade. I've had great support from my company and everyone has been really helpful”.
The programme is open to all individuals who have sufficient entry qualifications and an aptitude for technical subjects. Apprentices can start at age 16 and there is no real upper age limit. The two apprenticeship categories on offer are designed for young people looking for a career and cover Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (including heat pumps) and Building Services Engineering Technology and Project Management.
“I am really enjoying the training and find it very interesting,” explains Becky Critchley, who joined Airway Solutions. “As well as learning new skills and information that I can apply when I am working on equipment in customers premises, the training is helping me further my knowledge of the industry”.
The scheme is being co-ordinated by Building Engineering Services Training Ltd (BEST) with the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and all organisations will be focused on outbound communications to raise awareness of the apprenticeships roles that the scheme offers to school leavers.
