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Wilton Engineering Expands Apprenticeship Programme to 45 as New Cohort Begins Training

Wilton Engineering Expands Apprenticeship Programme to 45 as New Cohort Begins Training

By Marie Carter-Robb • Posted in Engineering

Wilton Engineering has welcomed 16 new apprentices as the latest cohort begins their training at Hartlepool College of Further Education. The intake forms part of the company’s long-standing commitment to developing the next generation of skilled engineers – “building today to protect the future.”

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The new recruits have started their training at the college’s specialist Fabrication and Welding School, where they’ll gain essential skills in the early stages of their apprenticeship. After completing this foundation phase, they’ll move on to Wilton’s 113-acre site at the Port Clarence Offshore Base, on the banks of the River Tees.

There, they’ll work alongside Wilton’s experienced workforce on complex, large-scale fabrication projects. Their learning will continue at Wilton’s on-site apprenticeship academy, where they’ll be supported by NVQ assessors as they work towards a Level 3 qualification in either Metal Fabrication or Plate Welding.

The new apprentices range in age from 16 to 31 and include two current Wilton employees who are retraining from Trade Assistant roles to pursue skilled careers in engineering. Their addition brings Wilton’s current apprentice cohort to 45, reinforcing the company’s pipeline of home-grown talent.

Wilton has a proud track record of investing in apprenticeships, with many former apprentices now in senior roles across the business. The scheme is a cornerstone of Wilton’s workforce strategy, ensuring it can meet growing project demands while supporting career development in the Tees Valley.

Bill Scott OBE, Chief Executive of Wilton Engineering, said:
“Apprenticeships are absolutely vital to the sustainable future for all companies, and we are committed to a continual cohort of apprentices for many years to come.
With a long-term and growing order book, we need a regular intake of motivated and talented people who can develop with us and contribute to the success of our business.
We are immensely proud of our apprenticeship programme, which not only provides opportunities for young people but also for those already in our workforce who want to upskill or retrain. Seeing apprentices progress, achieve their qualifications and then go on to play key roles in our projects is hugely rewarding.

"I’d like to thank Hartlepool College of Further Education for their continued support. From the foundation skills developed at the Fabrication and Welding School to the ongoing guidance while apprentices are earning and learning on site with us, their contribution is an integral part of making this programme a success.”

Gary Riches, Vice Principal at Hartlepool College of Further Education, added:

“We’re proud to work with proactive employers like Wilton Engineering, which see the clear benefit in apprenticeships.

"We talk about transforming lives at the college – and what that means is giving apprentices the knowledge, skills, and behaviours, as well as the attitude and confidence to thrive. We do that in a safe and inclusive environment, helping them gain the practical skills they need to become qualified tradespeople.”