Sunderland business works with city college to find new recruits

A Sunderland pump manufacturer is working with Sunderland College to recruit its next cohort of apprentices.

Grundfos regularly offers apprentice opportunities – last year the company recruited four young people, and this year they’re looking to sign-up six to work at its Castletown plant.

The Danish company is the world’s leading pump manufacturer and employs more than 18,000 people globally. It opened a Wearside plant in 1973 and now employs more than 150 people at its Castletown site.

The apprentices tend to spend their first eight to nine months at the college, and then move to a day-release model, working at Grundfos for four days a week and then spending a fifth day in a college classroom or workshop.

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Catherine Attwell, HR Director at Grundfos, said: “We take training very seriously and a large percentage of our workforce has been through our apprenticeship programme – including our European Operations Director Mark Lister and other senior managers.

“The college shortlists candidates for us and then we interview them – we’re looking for qualities such as positive thinking, being a team player, as well as candidates with good grades.

“We’ve enjoyed working with the apprenticeship team at Sunderland College who make the process nice and easy, and we’re sure they’re going to send us some first-class candidates for the six places we have this year.

Emily Kirkup, 20, from Durham is in her third year of a four-year Level 3 Engineering Technician Apprenticeship, while Robbie Crone, 18, from South Shields, has recently completed an 18-month Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship. Callum Quarrie, 20, from Newcastle, is due to finish his four-year Level 3 Manufacturing Engineering Apprenticeship in July.

All three said they’ve enjoyed their training with Grundfos – Robbie is already transitioning into a full-time role as an Associate Planner, while Emily and Callum hope to find full-time employment with Grundfos on completion of their qualifications.

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Emily, who had already completed an advanced manufacturing qualification at New College, Durham before starting her apprenticeship with Grundfos, was the company’s first female production apprentice to have joined the engineering/fitter production operator programme.

She said: “I’ve enjoyed my time here so far and have always felt part of the team.”

Robbie was quick to praise the Grundfos apprentice mentor scheme which teams up every apprentice with an experienced employee: “The mentor scheme works really well here, they’re always there to help and check on you and want to know how you’re getting on.

“The interview process was very smooth and we were able to shadow employees when we first started here, which helped ease us into the roles and the plant.”

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Iain Nixon, Vice Principal, Partnerships and Commercial for Education Partnership North East, which incorporates Sunderland College, said: “The College is grateful to have worked in partnership with Grundfos for a number of years now. During this time we have supported Grundfos to recruit and train apprentices to a variety of positions across the organisation.

These latest apprenticeship vacancies provide great opportunities for applicants to start a career at one of the region’s premium employers. We are looking forward to welcoming the six new apprentices on to programmes in September.”