– Jamie Waller contributed to this report
As part of National Apprenticeship Week, the electronics company Siemens is taking on 16 new apprentices in Lincoln. Three of them will get the opportunity to undertake a Higher Apprenticeship.
The multinational company already employs 300 apprentices in the UK, of which 90 are based in Lincoln, making it one of the top 100 apprenticeship employers in the country.
National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from March 11th – 15th, is designed to celebrate the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy.
Lincoln is enjoying this exciting opportunity thanks to being one of only five “principal partners” of Siemens in the country.
Paul Birt, the Human Resources Director at Siemens in Lincoln, outlined his support for apprenticeships, saying: “Apprenticeships are a key part of our approach to developing engineering skills for the future. They deliver in every sense – for the business, for the employee and for the economy too.
“In Lincoln we have many great apprentices who are fantastic role models for other school leavers and aspiring engineers. Apprentices are the pioneers of the future and it is in that spirit that Siemens embraces National Apprenticeship Week.”
He also said that the apprentices who join the four year programme will be trusted with responsibility straight away and will be given the opportunity to develop their engineering, communication and management skills.
Siemens produces a wide range of engineering and electronic products, from trains and computer parts to health care equipment and wind turbines. It employs over 13,000 people in the UK, of which 6,000 are in the manufacturing sector.
Siemens has also been a keen supporter of the School of Engineering at the University of Lincoln. They have made a multi-million pound investment in the school and have also transferred R&D equipment to the Engineering Hub.