Apprentices set down roots as new intake join up at EGGER
Seven new apprentices have marked the beginning of their career at a major wood recycling firm.
EGGER welcomed their new arrivals in Auchinleck with the planting of a tree in Barony’s Apprentice Forest.
This year, Ben Menzies and Blair Nicholl join as Electrical apprentices, Jamie Kennedy and Darren McGuckin join as Mechanical apprentices, Lewis Symonds and Sam McKee join as Manufacturing apprentices and Robbie Brown joins as a Stores apprentice.
Barony’s Apprentice Forest was established in 2019, with this year’s additions taking the total number of trees to 13.
The planting of the trees represent the new apprentices putting down their roots at EGGER, and marking the “start of a successful career”.
The apprenticeship programme offers young adults the opportunity to begin their career in the STEM ( science, technology, engineering, and maths) industry.
Apprenticeships at EGGER lead to a Level 3 Scottish Vocational Qualification, with the potential to go on and achieve a degree.
In 2019/ 20 EGGER Barony won three awards for its successful apprenticeship programme.
It received an Ayrshire Business Award for developing Ayrshire’s Young Workforce, a S1jobs award for Best Employer Training and Development, and the Skills Development Scotland Scottish Apprenticeship Award for SME Apprentice Employer of the Year.
Heiko Lichtblau, Plant Director at EGGER Barony, said: “We are delighted to welcome our new apprentices to the team.
“Over 20 per cent of our current workforce joined EGGER Barony as an apprentice, which illustrates our ongoing commitment towards the development of our employees.
Heiko added: “Our Apprentice Forest recognises the first step of our apprentices’ career, and like the trees, we can watch them grow alongside our business.”
Recruitment for the 2021 EGGER apprenticeship programme will start in November 2020.
Since opening in 1998, EGGER has gone on to employ more than 100 people at its Auchinleck plant where it carries out modern chipboard production and wood recycling.
The plant manufactures approximately 400,000m3 of raw chipboard per year.