The apprentices learn basic mechanical engineering skills, such as machining, grinding and reading engineering drawings
As one of the world’s leading providers of maintenance solutions for clients in the oil & gas, water and power generation industries, Sulzer is keen to maintain its excellent knowledge base and also train new talent for the future. In Birmingham the apprentice programme has been running for over five years and it has produced several qualified engineers that have taken up full time positions within the business.
Mike Stanley, General Manager at Birmingham Service Centre, comments: “The industry in general is in very short supply of electrical repair capability as apprenticeships in the late 80’s 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.”
The Birmingham Service Centre works with its training partner, In-Comm, which is a training academy that offers a wide range of development programmes delivered in a real working environment. The apprentices study a framework which has been developed by Sulzer’s technical team, in consultation with In-Comm and the skills council that oversees the relevant NVQ programme.
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. The block release at college allows the apprentice to learn basic electrical skills and principles and complete the elementary grounding that is so important.
The apprentices study a framework which has been developed by Sulzer’s technical team
The second year sees the apprentices returning 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.
Based on the assessments in year two, the apprentices will return in the third year to spend six months in the department that best suits their skill set. Once again, there will be assessments during this period to gauge the development and understanding of the apprentices. There is no automatic progression through this programme and those that do not manage to achieve the required standards, either at work or at college, will not be able to complete the course.
For those that make it to the fourth year it will be clear which department will be most suitable for the candidate after a number of reviews and the natural electrical or mechanical bias of the apprentice. The next twelve months will be spent gaining more experience and learning more complex skills in the final department.
Mike Stanley concludes: “The apprenticeship programme has been designed to meet the needs of our diverse range of businesses, from small to medium electrical machines to large scale mechanical engineering. With such a shortage of engineers in the UK, both male and female, we are looking for four new apprentices to start in September, with three of them preferring the electrical side of the business and one to learn a range of mechanical skills. Each applicant will be assessed independently and we would welcome anyone interested in this sector to apply.”
Apprentices are assessed on their ability and level of interest before returning in the third year
About Sulzer
Sulzer is the leading worldwide, independent service provider for large rotating equipment. With technically advanced and innovative service and maintenance support solutions, Sulzer provides a turnkey service that provides its customers with the peace of mind to focus on their core operations.
Included in this package is a highly efficient and dependable high-voltage coil manufacturing and supply service, delivered from a purpose built facility within the Birmingham Service Centre, UK. It is recognised for producing very high quality coils for high voltage motors and generators; designed, manufactured and shipped by a highly skilled and dedicated team to ensure fast and reliable service.
With an in-house copper rolling mill Sulzer customers can benefit from round-the-clock manufacturing to ensure that every coil is delivered on schedule. In conjunction with constant quality control and full HV on-site testing facilities, Sulzer can deliver quality, precision and speed, any time, day or night.
For further information click here or e-mail: [email protected], or phone +44 (0)121 766 6161.