Spencer Group engineers future talent pipeline

A Hull-based engineering company is expanding its efforts to develop young talent.

Spencer Group has welcomed its latest cohort of 13 apprentices, spanning engineering, IT, marketing, commercial roles and plant fitting, marking its second largest intake. 

The new intake brings the total number of apprentices employed to more than 65 in seven years.

This year, the company has introduced a buddy scheme, pairing each new apprentice with a more experienced colleague from a previous cohort. 

Bosses say the scheme complements the existing mentorship programme, giving apprentices guidance, support and a friendly face as they transition from education to work.

Yvonne Moir, HR director, said: “Many young people from our earliest cohorts have now completed their qualifications and taken on full-time roles within Spencer Group, with some also having become parents, so we’ve really seen them develop as people as well as colleagues.

“Our apprentices truly become part of the Spencer Group family and it’s a privilege to follow their journeys as they grown, both professionally and personally.

“We’re proud to see many of our older apprentices now taking on buddy roles to support our newest cohort and we can’t wait to see what our new apprentices achieve during their time with us.”

Morgan-Lee Hickingbotham, 18, is joining Spencer Group as an information communications technician apprentice after securing an extended diploma in IT at Ron Dearing UTC.

He said: “I was worried about the financial cost of university and I didn’t feel ready to leave home yet, so I thought an apprenticeship was the perfect way for me to continue learning and expanding my knowledge while working and gaining hands-on experience.

“After hearing so much positivity about the opportunities at Spencer Group and how much they invest in their apprentices, I knew it was somewhere I’d love to work, so I put all my energy into securing a role.

“I’m really passionate about helping people and being able to fix things, so I’m looking forward to putting the knowledge I’ve learnt in sixth form into practice and working to assist people with their IT issues.”

Morgan-Lee Hickingbotham, who has joined Spencer Group as an information communications technician apprentice

Spencer Group, a founding partner of Hull’s Ron Dearing University Technical College, also runs workshops, careers talks, employability skills training and work experience placements. 

Its efforts to encourage female apprentices have seen applications from women rise from two per cent to 27 per cent, highlighting the company’s commitment to opening opportunities in the traditionally male-dominated engineering sector.

Jessica Dickinson, 18, is beginning her civil engineering degree apprenticeship after studying engineering and creative iMedia at Ron Dearing UTC.

She added: “Engineering is still a male-dominated field, but that has never put me off pursuing my goals. 

“If anything, it spurs me on to prove people wrong and show that women can do just as well, if not even better!

“My teachers at Ron Dearing were always really supportive and encouraging of female students considering a career in engineering, and, when I met Yvonne and the team from Spencer Group, I set my heart on securing an apprenticeship with the business because everyone was so lovely.

“I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into new things. 

“I’m open minded about what part of the industry I want to work in and one of the great things about Spencer Group is that we get to rotate around the business and learn more about the different opportunities and career pathways.”

Jessica Dickinson, who is beginning her civil engineering degree apprenticeship with Spencer Group

Charlie Spencer OBE, Spencer Group executive chairman and founder, added: “We’re delighted to welcome our latest cohort of apprentices. 

“At Spencer Group we’re passionate about developing new talent and providing young people with opportunities to gain professional qualifications while learning from our experienced team of mentors.

“Year on year we’re seeing the standard of work readiness increasing among our apprentice intake, which is a testament to the exceptional level of education and careers support provided by the dedicated team at Ron Dearing UTC.”

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