Ten times as many applications as positions for apprentice and graduate schemes

Deadline for Alstom graduate and apprentice scheme extended to end of month after
overwhelming response.

 International engineering company Alstom has extended the deadline for people applying for its 34 apprentice and 19 graduate positions to the end of February after receiving 10 times as many applications as it has places.  

The company, which employs over 6,500 people at 30 locations around the UK, is looking to find 34 new apprentices and 19 graduates and has already received 523 applications for those 53 places.

In fact, the single apprentice position at Alstoms Glasgow traincare centre in Polmadie has seen 60 people apply, and the company has received 79 applications for the eight graduate positions available in Stafford and 102 for the 17 apprentice jobs in the town. The three graduate roles at the Wolverhampton traincare centre have resulted in 30 applications and, in Preston, four apprentice positions have received a staggering 91 applications.

Terence Watson, Alstoms UK President, said: It really is fantastic that were seeing such numbers apply for roles that really do give an excellent start to an engineers working life, whether youre straight out of school or looking for your first job after university.

Weve seen a high standard of applications but we want to give even more people the opportunity to apply to roles with our Grid, Power and Transport divisions as we look to develop the engineers of the future with Alstom.

Its only a shame that more applicants, who are eager to get on the jobs ladder, cannot be taken as well but, as our collective industries will have thousands too few skilled workers in the coming years, I urge all employers, SMEs and others to take a fresh look at their needs. Taking an apprentice or graduate on is a win for everyone.

Alstom offer three and four-year apprenticeships, including study at local colleges as well as extensive on-the-job training at power stations, on Grid projects and at the companys Transport centres.

All applications for trainee positions with Alstom should be made through the Brilliant Thinking website www.brilliant-thinking.co.uk. All candidates will undergo rigorous testing and assessment procedures. In fact, the website has had more than 23,000 hits since the schemes opened at the end of last year.

The company also operates a STEM ambassadors programme designed to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career, and currently has 124 employees regularly visiting schools and events to talk about potential career paths.

To learn more about being an apprentice or a graduate with Alstom in the UK, visit the Graduate and Apprenticeship pages on the website.

Press contact 

Jonathan Smith
Head of Media Relations, Alstom UK 
Tel 01788 545602 or 07801 775650
jonathan.smith@chq.alstom.com 

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