Employers across the Yorkshire and Humber region are showing signs of putting their faith in young engineers as they seek the skills to build a brighter future.
Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA) revealed that the number of its apprentices securing placements in industry increased from 12 at the end of 2024 to nearly 30 by the end of January.
The organisation, which supports a total of 250 young learners across sites in Hull, Scunthorpe and Stallingborough, hopes the trend will continue into and beyond the forthcoming work experience week, which starts on Monday 17 February.
Iain Elliott, CEO of HETA, said: “We have a number of very able young people from the cohort that joined us in September still looking for the companies that will give them their start in the world of work, but we’re encouraged by what we have seen so far during 2025.
“Placements have been harder to come by this year and we’re sure that’s down to the economic uncertainty and the concerns about the increase in National Insurance rates. But the message is sinking in that the increase doesn’t apply to apprentices under 25, and there are other advantages on top of that.”
The young learners joined HETA in September and were all pre-vetted, arriving with good GCSE grades and having demonstrated excellence in aptitude tests including spatial awareness, reasoning, mechanical principles, English and maths.
They have worked on skills including mechanical maintenance, electrical wiring, electrical maintenance, health and safety, engineering maths and engineering science. They now want to follow previous cohorts into careers with the likes of Smith + Nephew, Wren Kitchens, Hilton Seafoods and smaller businesses.
Mr Elliott said: “We have some dedicated electrical installation apprentices looking more at domestic and commercial property roles and the rest are maintenance engineers who can go into any factory or power station and help to keep it going.
“These learners just need a chance and employers are still saying they need to recruit more engineers for the future. We want to get as many of them as possible working with employers during work experience week and we’ll have them ready to start on-site in July, working full-time for two years with no requirement for day release.”
HETA is the largest independent training provider in the UK for maintenance apprenticeships and is performing at 20 per cent above the national average in terms of achievement rates. The company achieved a 100 per cent success rate in the final assessments of the latest learners to go out and is rated as “excellent” by employers for soft skills development including work readiness, communication, team building and team leadership.
The work experience week is designed to give the students an opportunity to learn about life in industry. It runs from Monday 17 February until Friday 21 February and students are looking for some hands-on experience and a chance to put into practice what they have been learning at HETA.
Mr Elliott said: “We know industry is crying out for new talent and by competing for the same people who are already in the industry they are fuelling wage inflation.
“By taking apprentices, employers are getting the chance to grow their own people who in turn are more likely to stay with the business. There are also opportunities at the moment to access money which has been funnelled back from unused apprenticeship levy.”
The current cohort of apprentices includes young people from a variety of backgrounds. Jake Myers and George Darnell, both 17, were attracted by the practical aspects of the work.
Jake said: “I have always been a hands-on person and that’s why I came into engineering. I have done some work experience with an electrical business and I’ve learned a lot from that. If someone asks me to do something I know I can.”
George said: “Becoming an engineer means to me shaping the future, solving real-world problems, and making a tangible difference in people's lives. It's a journey of innovation, creativity, and endless possibilities.”
Adam Macijauskas, aged 16, and 17 year olds Charlie Sholtysek and Macie Kassim, drew inspiration from family links to engineering.
Adam said: “I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I left school. There were so many things and I just couldn’t choose but I definitely didn’t want to be sitting in a classroom and doing homework.
“My dad is a plumbing and gas engineer and he asked if I wanted to go on projects with him on a Saturday. My first choice was to go down the plumbing route, and with the qualifications I already have I’m in a position to go further.”
Charlie said: “My grandad was into mechanical engineering and I used to help him in his garage. When I heard about HETA I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I’m enjoying it and I’ve learned a lot. There’s more of a spark than with other jobs and it’s good to get your hands dirty.”
Macie followed various members of her family into engineering and has connected with the eight per cent of female apprentices in this year’s cohort at HETA and with others who have already progressed into industry.
She said: “We also have two female instructors and I’m really enjoying it. Everything revolves around engineering now and there are so many ways you can get into it. I’ve met a lot of people like me who want to do the same thing.”
Employers who would like to know more about opportunities to bring in apprentice engineers are asked to email training@heta.co.uk
Picture details
Accompanied by pictures of HETA apprentices Adam Macijauskas, Macie Kassim and Jake Myers
