Group of friends including Eastbourne engineer celebrate meeting as apprentices 25 years ago

Next week (February 6-12) is National Apprenticeship Week and this year marks the 25th anniversary of apprenticeships being re-established across the South East by UK Power Networks, following privatisation of the electricity industry.

From the first intake in 1998, 10 of the 12 recruits went on to build successful long-lasting careers with UK Power Networks’ predecessor companies.

One of the recruits was Phil Burke, a lead field engineer working in the Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells areas. He said: “I started my apprenticeship in 1998 as a multi-skilled apprentice and progressed to being a ‘hot glove’ linesperson working on live 11,000-volt overhead lines and I was the youngest hot glove linesperson in the country when I started that job.

“The apprenticeship gives those with hand and craft skills the opportunity to progress, learn and get involved in maintaining the electricity networks. For the first apprenticeship intake there were about 500 applications, so it was a good feeling to get the job. I hoped at the time that it would be a career for life.”

Joe Webb a field engineer in Croydon said: “Our 1998 year has been a real success. Between us we have an area manager, lead field engineers, field engineers, control engineer and a hot glove linesman. The ten of us who finished the apprenticeship have remained good friends.”

From the Purpose Business Coalition, former Apprentices Minister Rt Hon Anne Milton said: “This year’s National Apprenticeship Week gives us the chance to celebrate the positive impact that apprenticeships can have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

“For employees - whether they are school leavers, graduates or those seeking a job change at other stages in their lives - there is a clear pathway to acquiring the skills and knowledge they need for rewarding careers, regardless of their background and previous experience. Employers can grow their own talent pool by developing a motivated and skilled workforce. That adds value to their business, and an organisation which offers a range of routes in also improves its diversity.”

Apply for the Experienced Apprentice Programme in the South East

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