Earthmoving equipment manufacturer Miller UK has a long history of supporting local North East talent and this continues as five more final year apprentices complete their advanced engineering apprenticeship next month with Miller.
Introduced in 1988, the Miller apprenticeship scheme has been running for more than 30 years and there are currently a total of 17 previous apprentices who are still employed on a full time basis. As of the October that number is set to rise to 21 as four out of the five final year apprentices who have successfully completed their four year training course have accepted full time contracts with the Cramlington based company.
One of the well-known industry challenges over the last few years is a skills shortage and being able to recruit skilled workers with experience in heavy manufacturing. The Miller apprentices in coordination with TDR training have developed a range of heavy manufacturing skills including engineering, fabrication and maintenance.
Miller UK is rapidly expanding its business with a range of exciting new products, and the Miller apprenticeship scheme is key to delivering a pipeline of young local talent with the right skill set to contribute to these growth plans. Through maintaining a steady intake of apprentices, Miller is making an ongoing contribution to retaining important industry skills which both supports the regional manufacturing sector and the local economy.
Stephen Brown, Operations Director at Miller said “One of the challenges we face is a skills shortage and being able to recruit skilled workers with experience in heavy manufacturing. The apprenticeship scheme gives us the opportunity to invest in new young talent who can develop the necessary skills on the job”. He added, “We’re lucky to have the opportunity to develop the next generation of engineering and manufacturing talent and we hope that many of the apprentices joining us in October on a full time basis will go on to have long and successful careers at Miller.”
