First Bus in Scotland is using National Apprenticeship Week 2022 to promote the range of apprenticeships in engineering it has on offer across the country, including training in the latest green technology a key part of the programme.
Everyone who joins the First Bus Engineering Apprenticeship programme is given the opportunity to gain expertise in green technology, in line with the firm’s growing range of battery-electric and hydrogen-fuelled vehicles as it continues its mission to move towards a zero-emission fleet.
In June 2021, First Glasgow’s Caledonia depot received delivery of 22 electric buses as it began its move towards a zero-emission fleet. It is expected a further 126 buses will be delivered and in service across the remainder of 2022, with the order complete by Spring 2023. Earlier in the year, First Aberdeen launched the world’s first hydrogen powered double-deck buses. Josh Falconer, a third year engineering apprentice at First Aberdeen, said: “I joined First Bus after spending a year at automotive college and it was the best decision I have made. It’s a really good company to work for and keeps pushing me forward in my career. The whole learning experience is great and being able to work on new technology like we have with the hydrogen buses is something I wouldn’t get elsewhere.”
Erin Hind, who completed her four-year apprenticeship in June 2021 and now works as a nightshift mechanic in the company’s Blantyre depot, added: “I started my apprenticeship when I was 16 and it was great. You got to learn alongside some great people and earned a living at the same time.
“Everyone at First Bus is so helpful and they really look after the apprentices. The vast majority of people who started their apprenticeship in the same year as me have continued into a full time job which shows just how much we all enjoyed being part of it. I own a home, have a good car, I really enjoy my job and the people are great. It gave me a great start to my career.”
First offers a range of apprenticeships to people of all ages. It recently partnered with Reaseheath College in Nantwich to establish the UK’s first coach and bus engineering academy delivering tailored training to apprentice engineering technicians in the maintenance of next generation, zero-emission vehicles.
First’s Head of Learning and Development Hansi Jackson commented: “Apprentices are the future of our business; they enable us to bring in a wealth of talent and skills and help us to shape the future of the business alongside skilled colleagues. They work together to learn from one another, to share ideas and innovate. Without them we wouldn’t be able to support our bigger, better strategy of attracting and retaining talent and growing future skills we know the industry will need.”
