At PEME we have developed a comprehensive apprentice training scheme. The scheme, which began in 2005, has proven extremely successful in bringing fresh talent to our team. The current scheme includes engineering training options in mechanical, electrical, welding or design.
The National Apprenticeship Service has end-to-end responsibility for apprenticeships in England and through them PEME is a recognised provider of engineering apprenticeships.
The selection process for our apprentice intake involves interviews as well as numeracy, literacy and dexterity testing. Successful applicants will complete a three to four year programme which includes academic and vocational studies and results in an advanced engineering apprenticeship qualification.
Because of the inexperience of trainees, the first week of the training programme is a comprehensive health and safety induction. Apprentices will visit all major PEME client sites and receive formal training in confined space work, work at height, hot work including fire watching, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements and manual handling.
During the first year of the scheme, apprentices are normally based at a single site where a mentor will be assigned. Mentors and trainees work in pairs providing our trainees with the technical foundation required for advanced learning. Mentors are carefully chosen from our skilled engineers to maximise an apprentice’s development.
Trainees are carefully monitored to ensure satisfactory progress and are assessed and skills tested on a three monthly basis. Our assessment programme ensures an extremely high success rate for both course completion time and grades achieved.
After the first year, apprentices work on multiple client sites where experience is gained in varied industrial environments on a vast range of different equipment. As experience, skills and knowledge develop, trainees will gradually take on increased responsibility until work can be carried out safely to the desired standard. Trainees soon find themselves able to take on advanced project installations and plant maintenance tasks with the required assistance from experienced engineers.
Although our apprentices have the opportunity to gain experience on many different client sites, we have identified the requirement for a facility where learning can take place in a controlled environment and have developed in-house skills training modules.
Upon the completion of the programme, apprentices are awarded their qualification, having gained knowledge, skills and experience across industry and disciplines. Further development opportunities exist for suitable candidates and they have the opportunity to progress to supervisor and manager levels within the business.
Applications are invited each year between March and May. If you are interested in applying for an apprenticeship with PEME, you can apply on-line by clicking on the On-line application button on the Careers page.
