WEC Group's Training Academy Makes the Top 100 List of Apprenticeship Employers


The team here at WEC Group Ltd is celebrating after being recognised in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list. It was announced at the National Apprenticeship Awards which took place during The Skills Show in Birmingham on 13th November. WEC Group was also shortlisted for "Large Employer of the Year" and we're extremely proud to have made it to the top 3.

The Top 100 List, compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service in partnership with City & Guilds, recognises excellence in businesses that employ apprentices. It showcases the breadth of employers who now offer apprenticeships, and we are proud that our organisation is on such a prestigious list.

CEO and Director General of City & Guilds, Chris Jones, said: "It's fantastic to celebrate the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers. They should be proud of their role in helping people gain the skills they need to be successful. After all, apprenticeships are a great way for people to earn as they learn, and they bring countless benefits to businesses."

Apprentices are hugely important to our organisation and we are delighted that everyone's hard work and dedication has been recognised.

Steve Hartley, Managing Director of WEC Group and founder of the Training Academy said: "We put a huge amount of effort and money into ensuring our young people get the best training we can give them. It sets them up for a rewarding career in the engineering industry. It's a massive achievement for our Training Academy to be recognised and we are delighted."

Kris Mercer, Welding and Engineering Instructor at WEC Group, added: "This recognition is something we are very proud of. Today, 10 percent of our workforce are apprentices and our turnover has nearly trebled since the Apprenticeship programme began."

About WEC Group Training Academy

WEC Welding and Engineering Training Academy was formed in 2006 by Managing Director Steve Hartley, and is the only apprenticeship scheme of its type in the UK, providing individuals in Darwen and the surrounding area with an opportunity to gain welding and fabrication skills.

WEC Group is one of the North West's most prominent engineering businesses. Privately owned, it has a turnover of more than £35 million and more than 425 staff across all 12 divisions. It is also the largest subcontract engineering company in the region.

The company launched the training academy when it realised it could not grow as quickly as it wanted to because it could not find welders skilled to the level required.

The programme consists of a five-year apprenticeship, which includes time at the training academy, three years at college on day release and work carried out on the shop floor.

Costing the Group in excess of £100k to run annually, the idea behind the scheme is to create highly skilled, loyal employees who will stay with the company long after their apprenticeship is complete.