UK: RWE expands successful wind turbine apprentice scheme with recruitment of new applicants

Fiona Grice, Zack Faulkner, Nathan Jones, Robert Thomas and Robert Tiesteel are taking their first steps towards becoming fully fledged technicians by embarking on the bespoke programme at Coleg Llandrillo, North Wales. The highly-skilled engineering posts have been created to support the business’s renewables activities and have taken the total number of RWE-generated apprenticeships in Wales to 21 since the scheme opened in 2012.

The apprenticeship course, the first of its kind in Wales, takes three years to complete and was launched in partnership with Grwp Llandrillo Menai and was fully supported at its official opening by the First Minister of Wales Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM.

Places on the course are highly sought after, having already produced some incredibly high-performing apprentices. In 2014, apprentice Ross Kenyon, from Newtown was recognised as national Apprentice of the Year by Renewables UK; while earlier this year RWE trainee Llewelyn Edwards was declared Apprentice of the Year 2015 out of around 2000 hopefuls at Coleg Llandrillo’s annual awards evening. More recently apprentice Dylan Jones has been listed as a finalist for the Foundation Apprentice of the Year at this year’s esteemed Apprenticeship Awards Cymru.

RWE Innogy UK has a wide portfolio of renewable energy sites across the length and breadth of Wales. Any of which could become a workplace of the apprentices once they gain their qualifications. The renewables fleet in Wales is crucial to the establishment of the apprenticeship scheme and reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting skills and the Welsh business development.

Paul Cowling Managing Director at RWE Innogy UK commented: “We’re thrilled that RWE Innogy UK has, once again, had the opportunity to provide five more skilled learning and employment prospects in Wales, this is of course in addition to the 16 we’ve already placed into the programme so far. What these apprenticeships prove is that there is a definite and defined relationship between the delivery of renewable energy and the opportunities the sector can create for the Welsh economy.

“At least half of the apprenticeship posts will be located in rural areas, where opportunities for skilled engineering jobs are often limited. It’s our hope that these posts will enable the young people involved to live, learn and work locally and therefore support their economies, communities and the environment for the long term.”