Marvin OnumonuMARCH has launched a digital apprenticeship scheme to tackle the shortage of automation and control systems skills.
The programme is fully funded by the business and it will start with a cohort of apprentices based in Burton-on-Trent, Daresbury, Reading and Sheffield.
Apprentices will work towards a higher national certificate in instrumentation and control engineering from Teesside University, with options to progress to higher national diploma and BEng qualifications.
The course starts with three months of intensive skills training at a regional MARCH Academy hub, covering control systems, software and automation.
Apprentices will then return to their regional offices for open learning and hands-on training, supported by mentors.
The scheme is designed to create a consistent training pathway across the company’s sites, focusing on digital skills for industrial automation.
MARCH said the programme offers a level of consistency and quality not currently available through levy-funded apprenticeships in this field.
Paul Cantrill, operations director at MARCH, said: “As automation becomes increasingly central to engineering, it is essential that early-career training keeps pace.
“While there are good courses available through the levy, they did not offer the depth or flexibility required to meet the needs of our teams and customers.
“By designing our own programme with qualifications provided by Teesside University, we are creating a clear, high-quality pathway into digital engineering, one that gives every apprentice, wherever they are based, the tools and support to thrive from the very start.”
Apprentices will be prepared for control systems engineer roles, which involve designing and developing control software for industrial processes.
The programme combines academic study with real-world project work.
The apprenticeship forms part of MARCH’s wider plan to invest in people and support its technology-led engineering services.
Applications are open until the end of July.
