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Komatsu recruits eight new apprentices from North East

Despite the current economic climate Komatsu UK Ltd, part of the global Komatsu organisation, has further invested in engineering up-skilling by recruiting eight new engineering apprentices based at its manufacturing site in Birtley.

After completing the first year of their training at college, Liam Cooper, Reece Shotton and Lee Heron of South Shields, Jordan Warbrick, Kieran Reddel and Aaron Kirkbride of Washington, Ethan Iveson from Gateshead and Josh Kelly from Sunderland are now in situ gaining first - hand experience of live manufacturing.

Not content with working hard for his apprenticeship, young boxer Josh Kelly has also been selected to train with Team GB at Light Welterweight Level. Komatsu has said it will support Josh in his ambition to compete for Great Britain by allowing him time off to train and if necessary, extending his apprenticeship.

Josh currently holds the title of Senior ABA Light Welterweight Champion and last year won a Bronze medal at the World Championships, which took place in Armenia.

Komatsu’s excellent apprenticeship programme has been running for 25 years and this year’s intake increases the number currently in training to an impressive figure of 22.

As a world leading manufacturing firm, Komatsu’s successful and thriving apprentice scheme ensures that the company maintains a highly skilled work force. Komatsu invests heavily in training and over the years has trained a total of some 178 apprentices at its Birtley site, clearly demonstrating a belief in the importance of hands-on training as well as a huge commitment to the local community by providing essential career and development opportunities for young people in the north-east.

Tracey Wilson, Komatsu’s senior manager for human resources and corporate affairs, said:

“It is well known that the current economic climate has hindered young workers from gaining the necessary experience in trades in manufacturing however, by maintaining a steady intake of apprentices, Komatsu is making an ongoing contribution to retaining important industry skills which both supports the regional manufacturing sector and the local economy.

“Currently seven percent of our workforce are apprentices and many of those will remain with the company after their training and go on to develop their career in the same way that a number of staff have before them.”

Commenting on the importance of employing apprentices CBI North East director, Sarah Green, said;

“I am delighted that Komatsu is continuing to invest in its workforce and, in particular, that it is using apprenticeships as a means to do this. We are acutely aware of the skills challenges that many businesses in the manufacturing and engineering sectors are facing, but supporting apprenticeships is a great was to tackle that whilst also providing invaluable opportunities for young people to make that big step into the world of work.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Laura Drake .