Arriva has opened a new training academy for engineering apprentices in St Helens.
The new academy will see between five and 10 new apprentices per year join Arriva’s current apprentices, taking on the four-year scheme which combines classroom-based theory training, with practical on-site training at depots across the North West and North Wales.
For over 20 years Arriva has operated an apprenticeship scheme which has seen students undertake training in various colleges across the country. Now in a collaborative approach with the S&B Automotive Academy ltd college, the new academy aims to bring all training to one central learning environment.
Michelle Drummond, HR Business Partner at Arriva North West and Wales, commented: “After running a successful apprenticeship scheme for over 20 years, we hope that centralising all training in our St Helens academy will help us develop more future managers, while making our apprenticeship scheme even more successful.”
Upon completing the course, all students will be fully qualified in their chosen discipline of either electrical, mechanical or coachbuilding engineering, where they will also be encouraged and mentored to apply for the vacancies that arise in their chosen area of expertise.
Many students from the apprenticeship scheme have since gone on to become engineering managers within the company.
Dave Smith, Fleet Engineer and Manager of the training programme started out as an apprentice. He said: “The North West Training academy is a great place for those looking to embark on a career as an engineer.
“Arriva has worked closely with S&B Automotive to provide this training course.”
