Shining the spotlight on our Apprentices

At Global Energy Group, we take immense pride in our longstanding commitment to developing the next generation of talent through our apprenticeship programme. This commitment, along with the dedication, hard work, and eagerness of the apprentices, has been key to the success of our specialist fabrication facilities at Aberdeen and Nigg.

We would like to take this opportunity to shine the spotlight on the significant contributions of our apprentices and highlight the vital role that apprenticeship programmes play in our industry. These programmes are essential for attracting, retaining, and developing talent across our region, ensuring a robust and skilled workforce for the future.

Graeme Webster, General Manager at our Aberdeen Fabrication facility, said:

“Our apprentices are fundamental to our operations, bringing fresh perspectives and skills that contribute to team growth and innovation. It is always a pleasure to witness their dedication to the role and learning the intricate details of their newfound trade. Their year-on-year development is evident and it’s inspiring to see them pave the way for their successful futures, as well as the future of our business.

“On behalf of myself and my colleagues, I would like to express our immense pride in all our apprentices, past and present. We hope their achievements and contributions inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Our success would not be possible without their invaluable contributions.”

Global Energy Group recently conducted employee feedback sessions with our long-standing Fabrication team members. These sessions highlighted the fulfilment and reward felt by our employees in their roles as they witness new talent “coming up through the ranks” from apprentices to skilled workers.

Reflecting on their apprenticeship in 2012, an existing member of the fabrication team at Nigg, said:

“I have good memories of positive team working, learning lots from my on the job ‘buddy’ and being involved in the ‘output’ (knowing what you are building). My apprenticeship was a great experience for me, an excellent team to work with, and experienced guys sharing their knowledge and helping me to develop.

“They were good days. If I’d not done my apprenticeship and then carried on with my career, I’d have stayed in the job I was in, no real direction, just doing ‘stuff’.”

Our experienced employees play a crucial role in our successful apprenticeship programme. We are grateful for their skills and extensive experience, which they share through on-site, practical training. Seeing the hard work of our apprentices put into practice is extremely rewarding for our team, knowing that the future of our business will be in the capable hands of the next generation.

Dave MacKay, General Manager at our Nigg Fabrication facility, said:

“We develop and engage our new Fabrication workforce through our in-house apprenticeship programme, which has been designed to develop their skills to accomplish SVQ3 and beyond. Located at Global Energy Group’s facility at the Port of Nigg, our apprentices work alongside our highly experienced team to share their industry expertise and knowledge. This ongoing process is key to our future growth and strategic planning of our business.”

The apprentice selection process is rigorous yet fair, demanding significant commitment from participants, who complete an intensive training programme comprising both practical and theoretical work. Our apprentices complete a four-year course, culminating in achieving a Modern Apprenticeship in Fabrication and Welding Engineering.

We collaborate with external training providers to identify potential apprentices and support their development through dedicated mentorship at each Fabrication site. Each of our sites typically recruits two apprentices per year, with a high number of local applicants contesting for the available positions.

Lisa Winchester, Director of People & Culture, said:

“As an organisation, we are deeply committed to developing our own talent and this is an integral part of our business and people strategies. I am delighted to highlight and celebrate the progress of our current Fabrication apprentices. Our apprenticeship programme demonstrates our commitment to investing in our people and their futures. The value of this investment is further showcased by the fact that several of our own Senior Leaders began their careers as apprentices.”

We take great pride in the accomplishments of all our apprentices. Notably, one of our apprentices in Aberdeen has been nominated for the Best Fabrication/Welding Apprentice Category at Tullos Training’s Annual Awards Ceremony on 27 June 2024, highlighting exceptional talent and dedication within our programme.

For more information on our apprenticeship programme and to register your interest in being part of our next cohort of Fabrication apprentices, please email us at peopleandculture@gegroup.com.