National Apprenticeship Week 2022

Apprentices play a big part in Zentia’s success today and are an equally big part of our future, so much so that Zentia launched its first formal apprenticeship programme in October 2021. Since then, we’ve helped several apprentices find their feet in the world of work and begin developing in-demand manufacturing skills that will help them build successful long-term careers.

“I started off with an apprenticeship at Zentia,” says Naomi Bell, who now has the job title of Junior Control Systems Engineer. “I started off as an electrical engineer and they found that one of my strong points was controls engineering. They helped guide me into a controls path and that’s how I’ve become a controls engineer.

“They really noticed my strong points and then helped me work with that to start in the right direction.”

Zentia’s focus on skills development is an important part of helping every individual team member at Zentia perform at their best and achieve their career goals. We believe that nurturing development is key, so we ensure our people have the best environment as well as the training and tools needed to excel at what they do.

That knowledge-sharing culture is embedded in the business from top to bottom. “I can’t thank the ex-fitters and staff past and present enough for the support I have received over the years,” says project engineer Paul Snowdon, who began his working life at Zentia as an apprentice.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Shay Swinney, Health and Safety Apprentice. “My manager is the full health and safety manager of Zentia,” says Shay Swinney, Health and Safety Apprentice. “He’s been really good with me from the minute I joined. He’s always teaching me new things and he’s always looking for ways that I can learn something new about safety. I couldn’t ask for a better manager.”

Zentia’s apprenticeship programme is key to our people development strategy and our commitment to innovation. “Apprentices bring so much to the business,” says Alison Thompson, Senior HR Business Partner at Zentia. “They’re an absolute breath of fresh air and they bring in lots of new ideas. Longer term apprentices will help us in terms of our succession planning and to plan for skills shortages in the future.

“It’s a very exciting time at Zentia and we’re making lots of big investments right across the business, from our manufacturing sites to our partnership programme for specialist contractors. Apprentices have a big part to play in the future of our business and we’ll be making more positions available in the very near future – watch this space!”