Member Article

Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers – 132 water workers prove the point

More than 130 employees at Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water have developed their skills using apprenticeship programmes.

As well as taking on its largest ever group of apprentices last year, Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water is proving that apprenticeship programmes aren’t just for school leavers and young people.

A total of 132 existing employees, including some who have been in the company for decades, are working towards a qualification and furthering their skills via an apprenticeship programme alongside their day to day role.

Last year Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water was delighted to welcome 23 new apprentices into its Water Team. It also offers development or retraining opportunities through apprenticeship programmes in many other varying aspects of the business such as Water Network/Distribution, Water Supply, Wastewater, Intelligence Operations and Customer Service, just to name a few.

Tracey Greener, Northumbrian Water’s Workforce Development Manager, said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to take a first step into a career, but it’s a myth that they are just for young people getting started.

“Increasingly, we are using Apprenticeship programmes to help our people make exciting career changes, either updating or enhancing their skills and experience within their existing roles, or changing direction entirely.

“We embrace all of these opportunities at Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water and have hundreds of our people taking advantage of what they have to offer, ranging from school leavers to those who have been with us for decades.”

In 2019 Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water worked with the Energy and Utilities Independent Assessment Service and Water Train to build skills and develop knowledge in its Operational areas.

Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water had 88 people achieve the Water Process Technician Standard to level 3, with many achieving Distinction grades.

The Level 3 Standard is what Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water has committed to as a base line qualification for its operators and its commitment for its Licence to Operate through Energy and Utilities Independent Assessment Service.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumbrian Water Group .