Suzler’s Apprentice Scheme tackles skills shortage

Sulzer’s Birmingham Service Centre is continuing to invest in apprentices in order to tackle a local skills shortage. The centre specialises in mechanical and electrical repairs of large rotating equipment, and is looking to take on four new apprentices in September.

The centre works with its training partner, In-Comm, which is a training academy that offers a wide range of development programmes. In the first year apprentices are based at In-Comm on a full-time basis, where they will learn basic mechanical engineering skills, such as machining, grinding and reading engineering drawings.

During the second year the apprentices will return to the Birmingham Service Centre where they will spend three months in each specialist department, Mechanical, Rewinds, High Voltage Coils and Traction. In each case a basic skill set is covered and the apprentices are assessed on their ability and level of interest in the sector.

The end of year assessments will see those apprentices that show sufficient aptitude being encouraged to complete a 3-year BTEC in Electrical & Electronic Engineering as part of their development.

Dan Moore, Operations Management Team - Traction Department, commented: “The industry in general is in very short supply of electrical repair capability as apprenticeships in the late 80s basically became a thing of the past and this has created the current skill gap. The apprentice programme is essential for the continuity of the business and finding the right candidates is essential; we are looking for people who have an aptitude for electrical and mechanical repairs and want to get their hands dirty.”

Edited from press release by Angharad Lock

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