ILKLEY headquartered NG Bailey, the UK’s largest independent engineering and services business, has welcomed 32 new apprentices to the company. The apprentices will be joining teams across the UK in roles of electrical, mechanical and technical specialisms, as well as a number of business-based roles.

The company offers 20 different types of apprenticeship in total. From site-based to office based, the apprenticeships prepare people for their career by offering extensive experience in their chosen field. The apprenticeships offer the opportunity for apprentices to work on wide a range of projects and in some cases set them up for other qualifications, such as a RICS accredited training scheme.

NG Bailey has a long history of providing successful apprenticeships, having welcomed 5,700 apprentices since 1934. Many of the company’s apprentices have won national and industry awards and progressed into senior management positions.

This commitment to training the next generation continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as the company continued to recruit for its apprenticeship programme. The company’s 2020/21 apprentices have just successfully completed their apprenticeship programme and attended their graduation ceremony alongside their fellow graduates and their families.

Frank Clayton, group head of learning at NG Bailey said: “Our apprenticeship programme is something we’re really proud of here at NG Bailey. We’re a member of The 5% Club, a group of companies committed to increasing the number of apprentices and graduates in the workforce. We’ve also been recognised as a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer by the Government which is testament to our great history of training apprentices and enabling them to go on to have long and successful careers.

“We’ve just congratulated our latest graduates, who remained dedicated and determined, and continued to conduct themselves with true professionalism during the COVID pandemic to complete their apprenticeship on time. We now welcome our latest cohort and look forward to supporting them as they start their careers with us.”

David Keil, a quantity surveyor apprentice at NG Bailey, discussed his apprenticeship so far and said: “My apprenticeship has enabled me to learn a lot from my colleagues who have huge amounts of experience and knowledge. NG Bailey is known for encouraging further education and promotion from within, so, if you’re willing to grasp the opportunity an apprenticeship gives you, then as clichéd as it may sound, the sky really is your limit.”

A recent apprentice programme success story comes from Jess Baker, heating and ventilation apprentice at NG Bailey who advocates for women in construction apprentices. Jess has recently been shortlisted in the Apprentice of the Year (over 21) category at the H&V News Awards. Jess said: “I enjoy that every single day is different. I’m really thankful to NG Bailey for the opportunity to train in heating and ventilation within a role where I’m constantly on the go and always have a task to do. I can see myself becoming more and more confident in my ability every day, and from knowing very little at the start, I can now install entire floors and areas of pipework and valve set-ups independently.”