Torness supports Scottish Apprenticeship Week

EDF Energy is joining employers across the country in support of Scottish Apprenticeship Week. 

The selection process is currently underway to find the latest batch of recruits for the company’s two Scottish power stations. 

Twenty-one year old Dan Martin is amongst 52 other apprentices in Scotland on the EDF Energy Engineering Maintenance Apprenticeship Scheme.  It is a four-year programme which focuses on the skills required to maintain the company’s eight nuclear, two coal and one combined cycle gas turbine power stations across the UK. 

Dan is in the fourth year of his training at Torness power station and says he is glad to have secured a place: 

“Engineering is what I’ve always wanted to do.  I’ve always had a technical mind and I like solving problems.  From a really young age I used to spend time messing around with cars in my grandfather’s garage. I take real pride out of fixing things and making them work again. 

“This programme is a great alternative to anyone who doesn’t fancy university.  When I was at school there was always a feeling that if you didn’t go to university, you wouldn’t end up with a good job.  Now lots of my friends are getting ready to graduate and don’t have jobs lined up but I’ve been earning while I’ve been working towards my qualification.  It’s been a priceless experience.” 

The first two years of the programme are based at the Royal Naval base at HMS Sultan near Portsmouth.  During this time apprentices train in academic and workshop environments to ensure they gain an excellent introduction to engineering and develop a strong skills foundation.  Part of this programme also covers the development of life skills, like confidence and communication. 

Alongside the rigorous engineering training and qualifications, the apprentices enjoy world-class sports and leisure facilities. The programme also includes trips abroad to European nuclear power stations and a huge variety of activities, including skydiving and learning foreign languages. 

Torness power station’s apprentice co-ordinator Gillian Farquhar said: “We are in the process of selecting six new apprentices for this year’s intake at Torness. Our apprentices gain an excellent technical qualification and have the chance to develop their life skills as well. I would urge as many young people as possible to apply when recruitment opens later in the year.” 

For more information contact:

Fiona McCall
External Communications Manager (Scotland)
01355 846281
07813 232347
Fiona.McCall@edf-energy.com

Notes to editors

• The apprentices spend four years in training to attain an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship Certificate in Engineering, a BTEC Level 3 (ONC equivalent) and also an NVQ Level 3.
• The apprentices are also given the opportunity to study for an HNC in their third year.
• Applications for the 2016 apprentice programme are now closed but the next recruitment campaign is due to start later this year.
• Find out more here http://www.edfenergy.com/careers/early-careers/apprenticeships/engineering-maintenance-apprenticeship 

EDF Energy in Scotland

In Scotland EDF Energy operates Hunterston B in North Ayrshire and Torness in East Lothian which employ over 1,000 staff and around 500 contracting partners across the two power stations. EDF Energy employs a further 200 office based staff in East Kilbride.  As well as generating enough power to serve some 4 million homes the company also provides gas and electricity to over 80,000 Scottish customers with around half of those opting for one of the company’s Blue+ products which are backed by low-carbon generation. We operate two windfarms in the Scottish Borders and make sure we buy enough electricity generated from a low-carbon nuclear source to match every unit of electricity we estimate our Blue customers use. EDF Energy is proud to power up some of the largest organisations in the UK, including supplying almost all public sector bodies in Scotland with after being awarded Scotland’s largest electricity supply contract by annual volume from April 2013. Following a landmark agreement with Network Rail the company also provides nuclear-backed Blue energy to power up the UKs electric rail network, covering most of the south east of England and the main lines from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as the Merseyrail network around Liverpool and the Glasgow suburban network.