News

Waterside Training Ltd always work closely with schools and local communities to promote apprenticeships in Engineering and Manufacturing.

We try to attend as many events as we can within the region so that we can discuss all things about apprenticeships and give advice to those that are considering a career in the Engineering or Manufacturing industries as well as advising on our current recruitment opportunities.

Are we at your School;  Please keep a check below to stay up to date of where we will be next and any events that we will be in attendance at local schools throughout the region.  Please see below the current events that we are booked in to attend:

Thursday 23rd November 2023 – De La Salle School Careers Fair – Eccleston, St Helens

Thursday 23rd November 2023 – PM – Golborne High School Careers Fair – Golborne, Wigan

Wednesday 6th December 2023 – Outwood Academy Careers Fair – Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens

Wednesday 17th January 2024 – 5-7pm – Waterside Open Evening Event – Waterside Training, STEM Technology Campus, St Helens

If you are keen on registering your interest for an apprenticeship for our next apprenticeship intake then visit our Apprenticeship Vacancies Page to submit your registration for the next recruitment phase.

AB World Foods (ABWF), based in Leigh, Greater Manchester, has a skilled workforce, which is vital for success and future growth of the company. However, there is a skills shortage in the catchment area, with 30% of people of school-leaving age having no qualifications.

To expand the talent pipeline in key operational roles at the Leigh site, ABWF established an engineering apprenticeship scheme more than a decade ago, in partnership with Waterside Training. Waterside Training was selected as the training provider of choice as they are local to the factory, are a great fit for the recruitment catchment area and provide high quality expertise and support.

Five years ago, this scheme was broadened to include manufacturing apprenticeships, providing more opportunities for those residing in the local and surrounding areas to have a strong start on their career ladder. The Leigh site was the first to trial the manufacturing apprenticeship scheme within UK Grocery.

The ambition in manufacturing is to recruit up to six new people into these roles each year, which would otherwise be difficult to achieve. Three manufacturing apprentice ‘graduates’ are already in roles in Leigh and a further seven are in the pipeline. These apprentices are trained to multi-skilled technician level, proficient in running all key plant and machinery and capable of learning and adapting to new technologies at pace.

Hans Bolton, General Manager at ABFWF, said, “We are very proud of our factory at Leigh. This is the home of the Pataks brand and is full of state-of-the-art equipment and technologies. The apprentices are crucial to the future of our factory as we build our talent pipeline.”

He added, “Our apprentices have played a key role in helping to keep our Leigh operations running during the COVID-19 pandemic. We would have had to stop the factory operations on a number of occasions, had we not had the apprentices with the skill capabilities able to step into responsible roles. This has proved a huge success and we have had a number of enquiries from other businesses in our group around setting up apprenticeships.”

If you would like to find out more about recruiting an apprentice, visit our employer section here.

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2021, Waterside Training will take to their digital platforms to showcase the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

Taking place from Monday 8th February to Sunday 14th February, Waterside Training will be supporting this year’s theme, ‘Build the Future’, by featuring inspiring stories of successful apprentices and how apprenticeships have helped to kickstart some amazing careers.

The campaign will also highlight the benefits to businesses of employing apprentices and raise awareness of how apprenticeships can be used to fill skills gaps, upskill existing employees and revitalise their workforce ensuring they are future proof.

As a specialist industrial training provider, based in the Liverpool City Region and with over 60 years experience, Waterside Training currently offer apprenticeships in the Engineering and Manufacturing sectors, including Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Operations and Science. All of these apprenticeship programmes are supplemented with additional technical training and personal development programmes to ensure the apprentice gains the confidence, skills, knowledge needed to build a successful career and the employer can develop a strong workforce for the future.

Waterside Training has excellent employer links and works closely with a range of high profile, local, national and global employers; including Pilkington, AB World Foods, Essity, Seqirus and A Schulman.

National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the resilience of both apprentices and their employers during the difficult time the pandemic has brought over the past year. It is hoped that this week promotes the value of apprenticeships and the range of apprenticeship opportunities available to both young people, adults and employers.

To find out more about becoming an apprentice, visit our dedicated student information section.

For more information about employing an apprentice, visit our dedicated employer information section.