SEVEN young people from Warrington have landed apprenticeships with Warrington-based water and sewage giant United Utilities after being selected from hundreds of hopefuls.
Almost 1,100 people applied for just 30 places on the company’s award-winning scheme this year, bringing the total number of apprentices at the firm to 118.
This year’s intake will be the first to benefit from a new state-of-the-art technical training centre the company is building in Bolton, which is due to open in November.
Sam Melson from Warrington, Emily Purcell from Penketh, Joshua Davies from Winwick, Leila Thomason from Croft, and Niamh Scotland, Richard Crean and Michael Howard, all from Great Sankey, joined the firm this week after an extensive selection process.
The firm also welcomed 22 graduates. They’ll join United Utilities’ army of 5,000 dedicated staff keeping taps flowing and toilets flushing for seven million people in the North West.
Twenty one-year-old Leila Thomason is the firm’s first-ever human resources apprentice and will spend the next two years at the company’s headquarters in Great Sankey working towards an HR qualification.
She said: “I applied to the HR apprenticeship because I became interested in the area of work after some experience in my current role. United Utilities is also very appealing due to its size, status and the opportunities to progress.”
Joshua and Niamh, both 18, will train in customer services. Seventeen-year-old Sam and 22-year-old Michael, are on engineering apprenticeships. Richard, 25, will train in IT security, and Emily, 18, will take an advanced apprenticeship as a laboratory and science technician.
Managing director Steve Fraser said United Utilities had a huge skills agenda, delivering over 25,000 days of training a year, and supporting more than 200 staff in further education.
He said: “Like many industry sectors we need to invest in new talent to head off a looming skills shortage. Our apprentices are vital for our future success. They couldn’t be joining us at a better time as we prepare to start a huge programme of investment.”
Pictured: Some of the apprentices (from left) Michael Howard, Sam Melson, Joshua Davies, Emily Purcell, Leila Thomason and Niamh Scotland.
Lucky seven win apprenticeships
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
