Ten Apprentices and Counting

We are proud to welcome Alex to Bensons as he begins a Level 3 Engineering Fitter apprenticeship, delivered through Leeds City College.

Alex will spend time in different areas of the business, gaining practical experience and developing the broad range of skills needed to become a multi-skilled engineer. His arrival also marks an important milestone for Bensons: Alex is the tenth person we have supported through an apprenticeship.

It may be a relatively small milestone, but it is one we believe is worth celebrating.

Building the skills manufacturing needs

Manufacturing continues to evolve, and so do the skills required to build a successful career within it.

The industry is sometimes still associated solely with factories, machinery and manual work. In reality, modern manufacturing brings together engineering, technology, design, automation, software and problem-solving. Behind all of it are skilled people with the knowledge and ideas to turn plans into working solutions.

Apprenticeships provide an important route into that world. They allow people to combine structured learning with hands-on experience, applying what they learn in a real manufacturing environment while building confidence and technical ability.

At Bensons, our apprentices work alongside experienced colleagues and gain an understanding of different parts of the business. This gives them a strong foundation from which to develop and helps create adaptable engineers with a wider view of how their work contributes to the finished product.

Ten apprentices and counting

Welcoming our tenth apprentice reflects a long-term commitment to developing people, rather than simply filling an immediate vacancy.

Every apprentice who joins Bensons is given the opportunity to learn from the knowledge already within the business and build the practical skills required for a lasting career in engineering. As their experience grows, they also become an increasingly valuable part of our team and our plans for the future.

For Alex, the journey is only just beginning. Over the course of his apprenticeship, he will experience different working environments, learn from colleagues across the company and develop into a well-rounded member of the engineering team.

Sharing experience and encouraging new ideas

After 60 years in business, Bensons has a considerable depth of engineering knowledge and experience. Some members of our team have spent decades designing, manufacturing and testing control panels, and passing that expertise on is essential.

However, learning should never be one-way. Apprentices bring fresh perspectives, new ideas and plenty of questions. Giving the next generation the confidence to challenge established thinking is just as important as teaching the principles and standards on which the business has been built.

That balance between experience and new thinking is how both businesses and industries continue to progress.

Investing in our future workforce

The technologies, markets and challenges facing manufacturers will continue to change. We can see that through our own work in areas including EV charging infrastructure, commercial solar and emerging technologies, alongside the control panel manufacturing expertise we have developed over six decades.

Investing in machinery and technology is important, but investing in people is every bit as vital. Our apprenticeship programme helps us develop capable, adaptable engineers while giving new talent a clear route into a rewarding industry.

We are delighted to welcome Alex to Bensons and look forward to supporting him as he begins his career. Reaching ten apprentices is a proud milestone for the business and we hope it is only the beginning.