National Apprenticeship Week 2022 – Training for a Brighter Future!

With the 15th National Apprenticeship Week launching on Tuesday 8th February once again ICL Boulby is looking to play a major role.

The aim is to reflect on how apprenticeships can help individuals develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career. At the same time, businesses develop a talented workforce equipped with future-ready skills. The theme this year is ‘Build the Future’ and it has been taken to heart by one of the trainee team – Louis Robson, 20, from Marton: “I am studying a Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in Construction Site Engineering Technician (Civil Engineering) at New College, Durham over a 2-year period. This is whilst working full time in the ICL Boulby survey department, alongside Chief Surveyor Simon Pollitt and Assistant Surveyor James Field. ICL has given me a great opportunity to gain qualifications whilst providing invaluable hands-on experience that will establish and develop my career as a surveyor.”

Louis Robson at Boulby Mine

Louis is the latest in a long line of youngsters who have forged successful careers thanks to the apprenticeship scheme run by ICL Boulby: “We are committed to offering young local individuals good career opportunities which is why we value the importance of apprenticeship programmes,” says Matthew Hart, the companies’ UK H.R. Manager.

“Due to the restructuring of our business set between 2016 and 2018 we temporarily paused the intake of apprentices, however in 2019 we re-launched our scheme with an intake of eight individuals. Of those, five have recently been offered permanent positions with ICL Boulby.”

But there might be better news to come: “In 2020 we had a further intake of eight trades apprentices, one safety apprentice and a survey apprentice,” added Mr Hart. “These are all local individuals with a passion for learning and development. We are currently assessing our future needs and will be looking at further increasing our apprenticeship programme to help us to grow the talent for our future.”

For more information on ICL UK, please visit: https://www.icl-uk.uk/