A high calibre apprenticeship programme is paying dividends for a Co Tyrone packaging company.
Greiner Packaging Limited, Dungannon, is now recruiting for the second year of its GOLD programme for people interested in a career in engineering.
This four-year apprenticeship programme has been designed by the company and partners the South West College as well as being supported by the Department of Education and Learning’s ApprenticeNI Programme.
Through it participants can gain up to Higher National Certificate and NVQ Level 3 in the specifically tailored and designed Advanced Technician Programme.
The decision to offer the GOLD programme was in response to what the company saw as a skills gap for the technical skills to grow its business.
Darryl McShane, operations manager said: “Over the past six years Greiner Packaging have invested over £12 million in new infrastructure, process technologies and materials, and with a limited employee pool it became obvious that to maintain a succession of high calibre technicians and leaders we needed to develop our own bespoke training programme.
“The key elements for recruitment to the program are to demonstrate drive, enthusiasm, leadership and ambition and it is the companies commitment to harness talent going forward, both existing and new, and to use this talent to develop ourselves as a company even further.”
GOLD aims to deliver highly skilled and employable engineers, ready to take on a fully skilled role within the business, or the wider Northern Ireland engineering Industry.
Mr McShane said GOLD would also help overcome the current economic challenges surrounding youth unemployment as well as addressing engineering skills shortages and employability issues, especially through its partnership with schools and careers departments.
A further benefit, he said, had been the commitment shown by senior technicians and technical leaders in the company to embrace the programme and focus on the success and talent that it will provide.
“There has always been a strong commitment to the current workforce in Dungannon and there are many examples of career development and progression through different departments and into positions of leadership throughout the company – GOLD is simply another signal of that commitment,” added Mr McShane.
To apply for the Greiner Gold Programme contact Greiner Packaging Human Resources department on 028 8772 3131 or download your application pack on www.goldenapprenticeship.co.uk. The closing date for completed application forms is February 29, 2012.