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Over eighty aspiring engineers have started electrical apprenticeships this month across the Midlands region with local electricity distributor Western Power Distribution (WPD).

The apprentices will train for up to three years, gaining a City & Guilds qualification as well as hands-on experience, before becoming fully fledged Electrical Fitters, Cable Jointers or Overhead Linespersons responsible for the poles, cables, and substations that deliver electricity to homes and businesses in the region around-the-clock.

But finding the right people has not been straightforward, as Nottingham Distribution Manager Dave Hewitt explains.

“Despite the opportunity to train for a secure and interesting career, it is still difficult to attract youngsters with the right skills into the workforce. Many schools seem to focus on university applications and office-based careers these days, so the excellent opportunities offered by vocational apprenticeships may be overlooked.
“We need more enthusiastic people who are interested in engineering and are keen to learn.”

Todd Soroczyn is one of four apprentices currently training at Nottingham who joined WPD last year. He said: “As an apprentice you learn exactly what you need to do to perform the job well. There is a strong focus on teamwork and safety – it’s good to know that you are working for a company that takes these things so seriously. I’m loving it so far and learning new things all the time.”

The applications process for next year’s apprentice intake is set to open in December. Further details are available at www.westerpower.co.uk/careers/aspx.  Alternatively budding engineers who are interested in further details can speak to a WPD representative at the forthcoming recruitment fair at Nottingham Racecourse on October 7-8 2013.

Note for newsdesks:
• Western Power Distribution (WPD) is the distribution network operator for the Midlands, South West England and South Wales, and is responsible for delivering electricity to approximately 7.8 million customers in the UK.

• WPD is not an electricity supply company and does not bill customers in the UK. Its responsibility is to distribute electricity from the point of generation to homes and businesses.