Harland & Wolff to host virtual apprenticeship insight day

Harland & Wolff, the iconic shipyard with over 160 years of maritime and offshore engineering pedigree, is to host its first virtual apprenticeship insight day in partnership with social mobility charity Speakers for Schools.

Held on April 27 from 9.30am – 12.30pm, the session is open to young people in state schools aged between 16-19 years old living in and around the four Harland & Wolff sites including Belfast.

The day will provide students with an introduction to Harland & Wolff, its history, and its apprenticeship scheme, as well as giving students the chance to hear from its current apprentices and its experienced team. The session will also offer students an opportunity to refine their own CV, cover letter and interviewing skills.

Applications to participate in this insight day must be made via the online Speakers for Schools portal.

Steven Wright, general manager at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, said: “We are delighted to be hosting this virtual apprenticeship insight day alongside Speakers for Schools. This is a superb opportunity for future apprentices to learn more about our history, our sites and our work. Offering first class apprenticeships with essential skills learning through local colleges, a Harland & Wolff apprenticeship is complemented through on the job learning from some of the best shipyard engineers in the industry.”

Jason Elsom, chief executive officer, speakers for schools, continued: “We are delighted to work with Harland & Wolff, an iconic employer that will allow young people to experience every aspect of maritime and offshore engineering from the experts. We hope more employers join our virtual work experience programme to broaden the horizons of young people across the UK.”

Harland & Wolff is a multisite fabrication company, operating in the maritime and offshore industry through five markets: commercial, cruise and ferry, defence, energy and renewables and six services: technical services, fabrication and construction, decommissioning, repair and maintenance, in-service support and conversion.

Its Belfast yard is one of Europe’s largest heavy engineering facilities, with deep water access, two of Europe’s largest drydocks, ample quayside and vast fabrication halls. As a result of the acquisition of Harland & Wolff (Appledore) in August 2020, the company has been able to capitalise on opportunities at both ends of the ship-repair and shipbuilding markets where there will be significant demand.

In February 2021, the company acquired the assets of two Scottish-based yards along the east and west coasts. Now known as Harland & Wolff (Methil) and Harland & Wolff (Arnish), these facilities will focus on fabrication work within the renewable, energy and defence sectors.

Harland & Wolff is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harland & Wolff Group Holdings plc (previously known as InfraStrata plc), a London Stock Exchange-listed firm. In addition, it also owns the Islandmagee gas storage project, which is expected to provide 25% of the UK’s natural gas storage capacity and to benefit the Northern Irish economy as a whole when completed.