June 5, 2008

GSH Recruiting More Apprentices

GSH Group plc is stepping up its intake of Heating and Ventilation, Service and Maintenance apprentices as the engineering skills shortage, which is posing a serious threat to the future of the facilities and energy management industry, reaches new heights.

GSH currently employs over 65 apprentices and aims to alleviate the skills crisis by adding more to its books.

Colin Tennent, GSH Chief Executive, said: "Due to the nature of the facilities and energy management industry it is vital to have an appropriately skilled workforce to carry out maintenance activities across our clients' portfolios. At GSH we constantly seek to develop our expertise to ensure that we remain effectively positioned to meet the needs of our expanding client base at all times.

"In light of the recent skills shortage it is becoming increasingly important to train and retain skilled employees. By adopting a philosophy of growing our own talent we are able to create a new generation of skilled engineers who can develop with the business and continue to provide our exceptional levels of service delivery and customer service. It is this approach that enables us to survive the serious skills crisis."

Apprentices within GSH work towards achieving an NVQ Level 2 in Heating and Ventilating Maintenance of System Components, allowing them to gain exposure to a range of building services from Heating to Controls. The two-year scheme combines classroom and on-the-job training with the aim of developing young talent into fully qualified engineers capable of responding to any given facilities management task. As the majority of the workforce is mobile, apprentices are encouraged to obtain a driving licence and are awarded an incentive of free driving lessons and tests. Upon successful completion of the NVQ Level 2, GSH offers the apprentices full-time, permanent positions as service engineers within the Company.

GSH will be offering an advanced apprenticeship to five of the highest achieving apprentices recruited in the 2008 intake. The advanced apprenticeship will allow selected candidates to remain on the GSH Apprenticeship Programme and work towards the NVQ Level 3 qualification in the same trade, which is ultimately a supervisory level qualification.

To request an application pack please email gshapprenticeships@gshgroup.com. The closing date for applications is Friday 6th June.