Female Engineering Apprentices on the Rise

A local training provider has welcomed the year-on-year increase in the amount of female engineering apprentices.

Business Development Manager at Cornwall College Business (CCB), Jane Wickett, said the first “female apprentices at Sisna Park started in September 2015 with the MOD and Mars Wrigley Confectionery.”

“Since then female recruitment has continued to grow year on year with our highest ever intake of female engineers in September 2018,” she added.

In September 2014 the Plymouth Engineering Skills Centre at Sisna Park Plymouth opened a new practical and classroom facility.

Cornwall College now works in partnership with a number of local businesses, including Advanced Medical Solutions, BD Plymouth, Interlube, Kawasaki, MARS Wrigley Confectionery, MOD, NHS, Wales & West and Yeo Valley with the majority of these employing female apprentices.

“All of our apprentices are STEM ambassadors and attend school career fairs to promote apprenticeships as an option to young people, representing their individual organisations and the Engineering Careers Centre,” Jane explained.

Engineering apprentice at BD Plymouth, Sharlene Pascoe, said she is “really enjoying the apprenticeship”.

“I’m pleased to see an increase of female apprentices, it makes it less daunting. I feel proud to be helping raising awareness of opportunities for females in this industry,” she continued.

“The facilities at Sisna Park are fantastic.”

Abbie West, also an Engineering apprentice at BD Plymouth, agreed that the “apprenticeship is really good fun.”

“I wanted to do something a bit different, I quite like being a female in a male environment. I hope in five years there will be as many women as there are men in the industry.”

To find out more about Engineering apprenticeships at Cornwall College contact CCB Training’s Apprenticeship Recruitment Team on 0330 123 4785.