Industry leaders set sights on building sustainable, multi-skilled workforce
Develop Training Ltd is celebrating 10 years of delivering their successful Gas Networks Apprenticeship Programme in 2014. By helping to create a sustainable multi-skilled workforce of the future, the programme has trained over 2000 gas network trainees to date from across the UK, for leading companies including National Grid.
The utilities industry is set to recruit over 200,000 utility staff to replace a workforce that will retire by 2023*. The Employer Ownership of Skills (EOS) pilot scheme, which was officially launched on 9th June 2014, has received Government investment of £33million to create 70,000* learning opportunities; to help secure the future workforce for the UK’s energy and utilities industry.
Develop Training, www.developtraining.co.uk the UK’s leading independent technical training provider, work with a number of utilities companies such as Scotia Gas Networks, Northern Gas Networks, Balfour Beatty and National Grid, to attract people towards a career in utility engineering.
John Kerr, Business Director, Utilities Division at Develop Training said: “We are delighted to celebrate our 10th year of providing utility apprenticeships and we are proud of our record of achieving 95% retention and achievement rates for our delegates.
“The Employer Ownership of Skills scheme is a great opportunity for employers to plan and implement bespoke training programmes for both apprentices and other staff. This will give the utilities sector renewed optimism and a much need boost to secure the future of the utilities workforce.”
Glynn Barber, Technical Academy Manager at National Grid said: “Apprenticeships are a key means of delivering a skilled, dynamic workforce and giving young people futures and careers they can be proud of. More than this however, apprenticeships help us develop the skills needed to operate our vital national assets to the highest standards.
“Develop Training has been a key partner in helping us develop and deliver our incredibly successful training and apprenticeship programmes.”
John Kerr concluded: “Our sights at Develop Training are firmly set on the next decade helping the utility industry to plug the projected 50%* gap in head count and create a sustainable, multi-skilled workforce of the future.”
Develop Training has provided utility apprenticeships for 10 years working with a range of national clients, having trained both gas and water engineers who have attended over 140,000 training days nationwide since 2004.
Top Utility Apprenticeship Facts:
- 10 years of high achieving utility apprenticeships ran by Develop Training Ltd
- 2000 utility apprenticeships ran by Develop Training Ltd since 2004, attending:
- 150,000 training days across the UK
- 95% retention and 95% achievement rates are delivered by Develop Training Ltd
- 200,000* replacement utility workforce required by 2023, this means:
- 50%* of the current utility workforce will need to be replaced
- £33million* Government investment in EOS pilot scheme
- 67 employers will match this funding to train new and existing staff
- 70,000* learning opportunities are expected to be delivered by the EOS pilot scheme
