Apprenticeship Week 2020

Thames Water’s renowned apprenticeship scheme is now open for jobseekers looking to forge a career in the water industry.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week (Feb 3 to 7), the company has 21 spaces available for apprentices to join the scheme across three different engineering roles: a mechanical and electrical apprenticeship; an electrical and instrumentation apprenticeship and a science (chemistry) apprenticeship.

Two additional vacancies are also available for higher level apprentices.

The training lasts four years and takes place at various operational sites across London and the Thames Valley, including Crossness sewage treatment works, Thames Gateway water treatment works and the Ring Main in Merton.

Thames Water apprentice, Matthew Gair, was Thames Water’s Apprentice of the Year in 2019. He said: “As well as a great apprenticeship programme, Thames Water offers superb opportunities to learn and develop other skills as you progress through your apprenticeship and then onwards through your career.

“After completing my first year in college, I spent most of my time getting involved with preventative and reactive maintenance. These types of jobs allow me to further my knowledge of various engineering and plant machinery and give me the opportunity to learn my job role and trade as a whole. I am developing a good understanding of my trade now and the procedures involved in taking equipment that’s broken and putting it back into service.”

Zaheerul Choudary, policy and governance manager at Thames Water, said: “At Thames Water we’re very proud of our apprenticeship programme, which has helped hundreds of people find employment with the company or in the wider industry.

“The standard of applicants for the scheme each year is very high and our recruiters can often find it hard to whittle down the hundreds of hopefuls to the chosen few.

“Having worked for Thames water for close to 10 years, I firmly believe the culture and environment is one that promotes and encourages development, challenge and new opportunities.

“I would highly recommend Thames as an organisation that nurtures, champions and encourages talent within an environment that promotes diversity and inclusivity.”