Industrial engineer apprentices wanted!
Youngsters urged to consider prestigious apprenticeships as well as degrees
As some youngsters are still awaiting BTEC exam results, Star Refrigeration calls for more students to consider apprenticeships within the growing market sector of industrial cooling and heating.
Star Refrigeration is one of the UK’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies, with an established programme that has seen many of its past apprentices win national awards and progress to senior roles within the company. Star is encouraging students in London, Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, West Yorkshire and Northamptonshire to apply for an apprenticeship that offers a practical learning experience lasting three years and a competitive salary.
Astrid Prado, Head of Marketing at Star Refrigeration said, “Apprenticeships can vary from company to company. We are confident that Star offers one of the best routes into the engineering sector, an earn as you learn route with plenty of reward and incentive along the way. Additionally, industrial cooling and heating is a very relevant industry which is constantly growing, offering apprentices a dependable career.”
The industrial refrigeration market is estimated to grow from £16.4 billion in 2021 to £21.3 billion by 2026; making it a flourishing industry with great career prospects. Sustainability is a key focus for the industry in the coming years, as carbon footprints need to be reduced further to reduce the impact of climate change. This makes it a viable and interesting career path for young people interested in saving the planet through innovation.
Star’s apprentices study for an NVQ at Level 2 & 3 in Industrial Refrigeration and Heating Engineering. They also have the chance to work hands-on with Star’s customers which include esteemed international companies in the pharma, cold storage, food and drink, petrochemical, banking and data centre industries.
Astrid adds “There are often misconceptions that apprenticeships are not as academically viable as a degree which isn’t untrue. In a field such as industrial engineering, there is a lot to learn over three years of study, and you get to learn on-site from day one and build practical skills which you need to progress in your career before joining the company’s internal professional development grading system.
Some students might believe that to get into engineering you need to do a university-based degree first. In fact, you could be earning as you learn and secure a job after graduation.”
On completion of the apprenticeship, successful apprentices are offered a permanent employment within the company which provides further opportunity for salary growth and CPD. Charlie Porter, a recent apprentice of the programme said “’Star combine academic learning with on-site work-based training supported by their experienced engineering teams. This was an ideal set-up for me, as both the academic qualification route offered, together with support from experienced mentors at Star, have formed the building blocks of my chosen career.”
Charlie applied for an apprenticeship with Star’s Bristol branch shortly after completing his GCSE’s in 2020. He works on multiple different sites, learning from experienced award-winning engineers. His future ambition upon completing his apprenticeship is to progress to a management role within Star Refrigeration.
For more information about Star’s apprenticeships go to: https://www.star-ref.co.uk/careers/current-vacancies/apprentice-5/