Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd has added a trio of fabrication apprentices to its current apprenticeship programme at its Darlington manufacturing facility.
The three apprentices will complete the final year of their apprenticeships at Cleveland Bridge after transferring from Teesside-based offshore fabrication company Wilton Engineering.
Josh Cuppitt, Lewis Crowe and Liam Forrester, take the number of apprentices at the international steelwork company to 28. They will work alongside the Cleveland Bridge’s experienced and highly-skilled 300-strong workforce as part of the company’s commitment to developing future generations of skilled employees.
Their training will be assessed by Hartlepool College, which managed the first stage of their apprenticeships at Wilton Engineering. Cleveland Bridge also works with South West Durham Training to support other apprentices on its apprenticeship programme.
The transition has been overseen by new Training Manager, Samantha Simpson, who recently joined Cleveland Bridge from SSI. Samantha, who lives in Ingleby Barwick, worked at the Redcar-based steel works as Training and Development Business Partner for nearly five years before the business closed in 2015.
Samantha Simpson, Training Manager at Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd, said: “Apprentices are a very important part of our business and we are really pleased to be able to provide the opportunity for these three young people to complete their training with Cleveland Bridge.
Chris Droogan, Managing Director of Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd, said: “It is essential that we invest in new apprentices as they are an integral part of ensuring this business has the necessary skills to grow and remain competitive.”
He added: “In addition, the experience Samantha gained at SSI and the expertise she brings to the development of training and management of our Apprentice Programme are both essential elements of our workforce development strategy.”