Smith Brothers launches search for apprentices to help keep Britain connected

With applications open for budding substation fitters, the apprenticeship is the perfect springboard to a career in the utilities industry, offering vital hands-on experience of working on overhead lines, with underground cables, and in substation fitting. 

As part of the course, Smith Brothers will provide direct, practical advice to a pair of trainee fitters — with one of the positions already filled. This will be dovetailed by a two-year City & Guilds academic course and three years with Utility and Construction Training (UCT).

“Apprenticeships provide people of all ages with a fantastic opportunity to combine practical learning with earning an income — something which is more pertinent than ever, in the current economic climate,” explained Dave Ogden, director at Smith Brothers.

“As an employer, it’s our responsibility to support the ambitions of those in our sector and region. If you qualify as a fitter, you have a ready-made, lifelong career – anywhere in the world. It’s important that we do our bit in fostering the brightest and best in engineering talent.”

The course is designed to give apprentices a sound working knowledge of a wide variety of fitting activity, as well as an understanding of safe working practices, and the practical skills and techniques to enable them to become valuable members of the workforce. 

The annual apprenticeship scheme is not solely reserved for school-leavers though, as Dave continued: “We take apprentices of all ages because we believe that everyone deserves the chance to learn a trade. Some of the best engineers left school and went straight into a labouring job, but years later, they might be keen to back up that ‘on the ground’ experience with a formal qualification.”

As part of the programme, trainees will spend one month per year at the UTC training centre, 9-10 months on site with Smith Brothers, and the remaining time focused on completing the City & Guilds academic requirements.