PERTH, Scotland, 2017-May-11 — /Travel PR News/ —
Applications open for Stagecoach UK Bus apprenticeship scheme
• Nearly 60 spaces available on Bus Engineers’ Apprenticeship Programme
• Programme into its 12th year of training engineers of the future
Stagecoach UK Bus is inviting budding engineers to apply for a place on this year’s apprenticeship scheme.
The company is offering places on its Bus Engineers’ programme across the country. The course begins in September/ October each year and applications opened on 1st May.
The Bus Engineers’ Apprenticeship Programme will help to recruit and train the people who are responsible for maintaining the company’s fleet of buses and coaches. The posts are critical to the reliable and safe operation of passenger services across the country.
Stagecoach UK Bus offers two different apprenticeships:
• ‘Mechelec’ – a combined mechanical and electrical qualification
• Body / Coachbuilder
Each programme is four years long with the first three years spent on the job learning in the depot with an allocated mentor to offer help and guidance. It includes attendance at a specialist training facility in Glasgow or Wolverhampton on a block release basis. The fourth year of the programme has been specially designed by Stagecoach UK Bus to consolidate technical skills already obtained and is certificated by the Institute of the Motor Industry. This involves access to training courses with various manufacturers of bus parts as well as those actually building the buses. Apprentices also spend a week long workshop focusing on interpersonal skills, planning, coaching, mentoring and communications. The company works to continually develop the programme to ensure that apprentices are as up to date on developing technologies as possible.
Upon completion of training, successful applicants will be awarded an Advanced Apprenticeship or a Modern Apprenticeship in Scotland in Bus and Coach Engineering Maintenance and will have the opportunity to become a member of the Society of Operations Engineers.
Stagecoach UK Bus has run the apprenticeship programme for 11 years during which time more than 450 apprentices have been trained with a further 180 underway.
The course is specifically designed to be one of the most comprehensive and challenging Apprenticeship Programmes in the bus industry. It is recognised as one of the best schemes aimed at producing qualified multi skilled technicians to work on increasingly more technologically advanced vehicles and aims to give participants the experience to become future qualified technicians, engineering managers and even directors of the future.
Using the Bus and Coach Engineering Maintenance NVQ and Technical Certificate run by the IMI, the company offers a Bus and Coach Engineering Apprenticeship to about 50 participants every year.
Clare Willis, Deputy Training & Development Manager (Engineering) at UK Bus said, “We offer one of the best apprenticeship schemes in the bus industry and it is critical to the future success of our company. It’s comprehensive content means at the end of four years we have a highly skilled – and qualified – next generation of engineering talent. I can say without reservation that this scheme definitely works.
“Stagecoach UK Bus considers all applications regardless of age. The only requirement is that applicants have GCSE grade A – C or 4 and above or Standard Grade 1 – 3 / National 4 or 5 or equivalent in English Language, Maths and a Science.”
Anyone wanting to apply for one of the spaces should visit the Stagecoach UK Bus dedicated recruitment site. Closing dates vary depending on location.
Notes to the Editor
Requirements: Applicants must have or expect to achieve three GCSEs at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, Standard Grade 1 – 3 or National 4 or 5 in English Language, Mathematics and a Science (or equivalent qualification) and have a genuine interest in engineering.
Selection process will include interviews and ability tests.
Applications are welcomed from 1 May each year and all vacancies will be advertised on the on this date at:http://isw.changeworknow.co.uk/stagecoach_bus/vms/e/stagecoach_bus/search/new
Contact:
Steven Stewart, Director of Communications
Tel: 01738 442111
Mobile: 07764 774680
Email: steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com
Source: Stagecoach