TIP’s apprenticeship scheme gets underway

Leading trailer leasing, rental, and maintenance company GE's TIP Trailer Services has employed six new apprentices for the first year of its recently announced apprenticeship scheme. At the same time, sister company TIP Tanker Services has also taken on a further two apprentices as part of an overall TIP Apprenticeship programme within the company.

Welcoming the new apprentices to the organisation, TIP Trailer Services Managing Director John Murray said, ” This apprenticeship is the start of a potentially progressive career within GE for each of the eight young people chosen. With commitment, desire and ability, there is no reason why they cannot progress within the company from apprentices initially and then to technician, rising to supervisory and managerial positions in due course.”

Under the overall guidance of Dave Parr, TIP's UK & Ireland Maintenance Leader, all eight apprentices started at Stephenson College in September attending four training blocks, each of two weeks duration during the first year. Here, they were assessed and measured via the College online course management system that allows teacher, pupil and the relevant TIP workshop manager to access and update the individual apprentices' progress.

On joining the TIP apprenticeship scheme, each student was presented with a fully kitted out TIP toolbox to ensure the correct start to their GE TIP career.

The first year syllabus for the TIP apprenticeship scheme is based on a general commercial vehicle programme covering items such as health and safety, basic engineering skills, vehicle servicing, engines, chassis and transmissions.

The second year syllabus is to be a more trailer based National Occupational Standard to ensure that the apprentices receive the correct type of learning in years two and three to enable them to qualify with a trailer based NVQ together with an Irtec licence.

“By developing our own trailer based apprenticeship scheme, once again TIP is investing in its future. This commitment to the structured training of its technicians is one of the fundamental building blocks of a quality trailer maintenance function. These apprentices are hopefully the first of many to go to college and come out with a dedicated trailer qualification. This can not only serve to improve the standard of maintenance within the commercial vehicle industry as a whole but raises the bar in terms of the enhancing trailer maintenance standards for the future,” commented John Murray