British Steel today welcomed the first of the 70 new apprentices and graduates who are joining the business this month.
In Scunthorpe, 36 technical, electrical, mechanical and structural apprentices have now launched their careers with the business. They will shortly be joined by 17 apprentices in similar roles for British Steel’s Northern mills in Teesside and Skinningrove, and 1 at the company’s R&D centre in Sheffield.
At the same time, 16 graduates have joined British Steel – the first to do so since 2022 following this year’s relaunch of the company’s graduate recruitment programme.
Minister for Industry, Blair McDougall, said: “Reindustrialising Britain starts with steel. These new roles will help build the next generation of skilled workers we need to secure the long-term future of British Steel and strengthen one of our foundation industries.
“We acted to safeguard British Steel because steelmaking is vital to our economy, our security and our industrial future. Today's announcement is a sign of that brighter future, creating new opportunities for young people in communities across the UK to build careers at the heart of Britain’s industrial renewal.”
Nick Ashton, HR Director at British Steel, said: “Today marks the beginning of an exciting journey for our newest apprentices and graduates, and we’re delighted to welcome them to British Steel.
“The calibre of candidates this year was extremely high, and these individuals have earned their place through a competitive recruitment process. With their arrival, they bring fresh talent and new ideas that will help strengthen our business for the future.
“Investing in people is essential to our long-term success. Our apprentices and graduates will develop the skills and experience needed to become the next generation of engineers, manufacturing specialists, technical experts and business leaders.
“We are committed to supporting them every step of the way and look forward to seeing them build successful careers while making a valuable contribution to British Steel in the years ahead.”
Jordan Carne, one of British Steel’s first-year electrical apprentices, said: “I decided to become an apprentice with British Steel because engineering is something I've always been passionate about.
“After working in construction for several years, I wanted to return to that passion and gain hands-on experience while developing my skills in electrical engineering. I'm really excited to learn more about British Steel and the opportunities the apprenticeship will provide.”
Jarucha Pattaraworrasin, one of the company’s new graduates studying Material Science, said: “I'm excited to see first-hand how steel is made and how the entire process comes together.
“During my studies in chemical and materials engineering, I discovered a real passion for materials science, and joining British Steel gives me the opportunity to apply that knowledge in a world-class industrial environment. I've always wanted a career where I could contribute to something bigger and make a meaningful impact, so this is a fantastic opportunity."
Earlier this year, British Steel reopened its Scunthorpe apprentice training centre as part of its ongoing commitment to skills development.
During their induction, apprentices and graduates will be introduced to British Steel’s operations and safety culture through a programme of presentations, site tours and e-learning sessions. They will meet senior managers and colleagues from across the business, complete essential health, safety and environmental training and take part in team-building activities designed to help them prepare for their future careers with British Steel.
Training for the Scunthorpe apprentices will be delivered by tutors from British Steel’s training provider, CATCH, alongside experts within the business. Their first year will be a mix of classroom and workshop activities to give them core skills and knowledge before they spend 3 years getting hands-on experience on the Scunthorpe site.
Apprentices for Teesside and Skinningrove will start their studies with TTE in partnership with Middlesborough College Group on 14 September. They will spend their first year developing the knowledge and skills required for their roles before progressing to site-based learning in their second year.
Graduates will join in a series of roles across the business, including Engineering (Electrical/Mechanical/Chemical), Manufacturing, Technical, Commercial, Finance, and I.T.