Formica Group Europe has launched an apprenticeship and educational programme at their site in North Shields, Newcastle, focusing on engineering, leadership, and customer service.

The programme offers three, four-year engineering apprenticeships, two 1.5-year customer service apprenticeships, and a 1.5-year training programme on customer service and leadership for existing employees.

"As a business, we want to be a key employer in the North East and attract and recruit young people from outside Formica who can be future successors to our leaders," says Formica European Talent Manager Victoria Scott.

"We also want to provide opportunities for people to learn from our experienced team in a supportive environment and give our current employees the opportunity to develop their skills and experience so they can move through the business and take on new roles."

The three, four-year engineering apprenticeships - one each in electrical maintenance, mechanical maintenance, and pipefitting / welding are the first apprenticeships to go out to market.

The customer service apprenticeship will be launched later this year, alongside the customer service training programme for current staff.

"Customer service, engineering, and leadership are key areas we want to focus on," says Victoria.

"But, we're planning to offer the apprenticeships and training programmes every year, with the plan of changing what we offer slightly depending on what teams need apprentices or what areas we want to focus on."

"Bringing in new apprentices and providing the opportunity for current employees to take on new qualifications is critical for us as a business; both for where we want to get to financially and as an employer of choice," says Formica European HR Director Michelle Robson.

"With UK legislation also bringing a focus for employers on apprentice qualifications this is a great time for us to launch this in the UK."

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