Next generation of engineers kick start careers at Drax 06 September 2018
Drax Power Station has increased its intake of apprentices this year by almost 50% - offering them the chance to learn a trade and develop new skills.
The nine apprentices will be trained in engineering to work within the maintenance department at Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire.
They will work on new and recently upgraded plant, designed to process biomass, and the maintenance of the power station.
Explains Drax Power CEO Andy Koss (pictured): “I welcome this year’s apprentices – they have a really bright future ahead of them. Apprenticeships are vital to our success as a business. Having talented people at all stages of their careers is important in building and retaining the skilled workforce we need, if we are to continue to innovate and enable the business to grow.
“As one of the major employers in the Northern Powerhouse region, we have an important role to play in helping to drive up standards in education by making sure children and young people have inspirational experiences in the world of work.
“At Drax we’re delivering on that, both by increasing the number of apprenticeships we’re offering and through the outreach work we do with schools and colleges which enables thousands of students to visit the power station each year.”
This year’s apprentices, from Selby, Goole, Doncaster, North Lincolnshire and Gainsborough, are aged between 16 and 19.
Cameron Shipstone, 18, from Hemingbrough, near Selby, says: “My dad works at Drax and has done so his whole working life. I visited the power station when I was young and saw the scale of everything, and all the interesting things that were going on.
“I then did some work experience at Drax, and realised a career in engineering was so much more appealing than going to uni – I can’t wait to get started now.”
Koss adds: “Many of our engineers, section heads and department managers are former Drax apprentices who have spent 30 years or more at the plant. We’re doing a lot of exciting things at the moment so it’s a great time to join – we’ve just successfully converted our fourth generating unit from coal to biomass and we’re also exploring options for repowering our two remaining coal units to gas and developing large-scale battery storage.”
The Apprenticeship Training Scheme is a four-year programme, and specialises in three engineering disciplines: Mechanical, Electrical and Control & Instrumentation. Drax also offers apprenticeships in business support areas, such as finance and business administration.
Adam Offord
Related Websites
http://www.plantengineer.org.uk/plant-engineer-news/drax-turns-on-fourth-biomass-unit/182265/
https://www.drax.com/press_release/next-generation-engineers-kick-start-careers-drax/
Related Companies
Drax Power Ltd
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