Press Release On Behalf Of Horizon – We Need You! Second Year Of Horizon’s Wylfa Newydd Apprenticeship Scheme Launches

We need you! Second year of Horizon’s Wylfa Newydd Apprenticeship Scheme launches ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Horizon Nuclear Power has today opened applications for its second intake of technical apprentices to support the Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station project on Anglesey. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The second intake of up to 12 apprentices is part of Horizon’s commitment to put in place a skilled local workforce to help build and operate the future nuclear power station. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The comprehensive three-year scheme has been designed in partnership with Grŵp Llandrillo Menai and gives ambitious, engineering-minded students the opportunity to gain valuable skills and qualifications while working on one of Europe’s most transformational infrastructure projects. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The apprentices will follow in the footsteps of last year’s intake and initially will be based at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Bangor workshop, where they’ll get to grips with the engineering skills needed to build and operate Wylfa Newydd. However, once the brand new Engineering Centre at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni Campus opens, the apprentices will move there. The Engineering Centre is expected to open in the 2018-2019 academic year and has received a £1m investment from Horizon. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Greg Evans, Safety and Generation Director at Horizon, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s an exciting time to be making career decisions in North Wales thanks to a number of large, long-term energy and engineering projects in the pipeline. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Wylfa Newydd apprenticeship scheme is designed to provide the support, training and access to Horizon’s top engineers needed to kick-start a career in the energy sector. It’s a massive opportunity, so I encourage anyone with an interest in the industry to take a look and apply!” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dr Ian Rees, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Executive Director – Business Development, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Grŵp Llandrillo Menai is delighted to have such an important role to play in the development of the skilled local workforce. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As an organisation, our priority is helping local people get the education, skills and experience that will allow them to gain employment on projects such as Wylfa Newydd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have been delighted with the progress of the current cohort of Horizon Apprentices who are studying at the college, and we look forward to welcoming the new intake of aspiring engineers in September. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Nia James, an apprentice at Horizon, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Wylfa Newydd is going to be one of the biggest projects anywhere in the UK in the next few years, so being able to apply my interest in engineering to the proposed power station and develop my skills is really exciting. It’s a challenging course, but there’s no better way to learn what’s needed to build and operate one of Europe’s most important energy projects.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​