Cruise ship and ropax repairer, Harland & Wolff (H&W) has welcomed 13 new apprentices to its prime Belfast site, as part of its very first ‘Apprentice Induction Day’.
The scheme will run in line and with partnership from Northern Regional College and will see apprentices range from 17 – 28 years old, with a mixture of genders.
Held on 3rd September, the day gave the newest recruits the chance to tour the site, as well as learn more about the company’s heritage and significance within national and international maritime sectors.
Steven Wright, H&W’s Belfast General Manager, who started his career as an apprentice at the yard, commented: “We are extremely excited to be welcoming our first intake of apprentices to Belfast and to the Harland & Wolff Group.
“This is a great opportunity to pass on the vast skills, knowledge, and expertise of our current employees to the next generation of marine engineers and shipbuilders.
As work ramps up throughout the yard and with significant investment towards on-site innovation, it is an incredibly exciting time to join the business.
“Infamously known as the birthplace of British shipbuilding and maritime excellence, our apprentices will not only gain valuable first-hand industry experience but will be able to continue our proud legacy – all whilst doing so with the backdrop of Samson and Goliath, our iconic gantry cranes,” he said.
H&W’s apprenticeships are offered across three separate functions – Trade, (welders, pipefitters, electricians, riggers, fabricators, etc); Technical, (engineers, naval architecture) and Business Support (sales, administration).
Highlights of the training programme include practical on-the-job training, one to one mentoring alongside its experienced workforce, shipyard training facilities and the opportunity to earn while you learn.
H&W currently operates across five markets – commercial, cruise and ferry, defence, oil & gas and renewables, plus six services – technical, fabrication and construction, decommissioning, repair and maintenance, in-service support and conversion.
The Belfast yard is one of Europe’s largest heavy engineering facilities, with deep water access, two of Europe’s largest drydocks, ample quayside and vast fabrication halls.
As a result of the acquisition of Harland & Wolff (Appledore) in August, 2020, the company has been able to capitalise on opportunities at both ends of the shiprepair and shipbuilding sectors.
H&W is a wholly-owned subsidiary of InfraStrata, a London Stock Exchange-listed firm focused on strategic infrastructure projects and physical asset life-cycle management.
