TATA Steel

Tata have being fulfilling one of the pledges through employing apprentices for many years. The Skills Pledge is important as it acknowledges what they are doing. They value apprentices highly as in recent years their business has restructured and people have retried from the business taking skills with them. There is not a ready pool of engineering skills to recruit in their region so apprentices allow the business to, “grow their own”.

Thankfully the area has a young and willing pool of local talent who are eager to work which is reflected through the numbers applying for TATA Apprenticeships. Apprentices replenish their leavers and they believe new apprentices bring fresh outlooks and skills, acting as agents of change for their organisation. They come in easy acceptance of modern technology, which in turn allows an easier adoption of new technologies to the business. Apprentices coming through their programmes also understand the TATA Values and the behaviours expected which benefits the company.

The apprentices who gain employment at TATA and remain in the business 5 years after completion are able to progress into higher roles within the organisation. This demonstrates TATA’s desire to ‘grow their own’ solution to the skills gap and is highly beneficial for the business.

Lindsey McDonald is an ex apprentice and now current employee at TATA.  When making her career choices she considered College and University but chose instead to learn a trade as she wanted to earn while she learned. She qualified in her role as Electrician in 2011 and recently became a Team leader in the business where she leads a small team responsible for the electrical/instrumentation maintenance. She supports apprentices on her plant and gets involved in STEM/ Schools liaison activities in the region as well as getting involved in apprentice recruitment activities such as open evenings.

A growing number of apprentices are STEM ambassadors and the activities they undertake with schools help TATA to be a Corporately Social Responsible employer. 

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Tata Steel is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations in 26 countries and commercial offices in over 35 countries. In Europe they are the second largest steel producer. They serve through many markets including; Aerospace, Automotive, Construction, Consumer Products, Defence & Security, Energy & Power, Lifting & Excavating, Packaging, Rail, and Shipbuilding.