Drax powers up apprenticeships at Scottish energy plants

Power firm Drax has extended its apprenticeship scheme to five budding engineers across Scotland as part of its efforts to tackle the Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills gap.

Drax is offering Scottish apprenticeship to help tackle the skills shortages in science, technology, engineering and maths. Picture: William Wilson

Drax, which has offered apprenticeships for more than 15 years at its North Yorkshire power station, has rolled out the programme to Scotland after acquiring a portfolio of local assets.

It is now offering apprenticeships at Cruachan pumped storage hydro power station in Argyll and Bute, Galloway hydro power scheme and the Daldowie energy-from-waste plant, near Glasgow.

The group's four-year programme specialises in three engineering disciplines: mechanical, electrical and control and instrumentation.

Apprentices can specialise in one of three specialisms over a four-year scheme. Picture: William Wilson

Generation chief executive Andy Koss said: “To be able to open up new opportunities for apprentices in Scotland is a really proud moment for us. It demonstrates our commitment to education and skills, as well as our dedication to our workforce and the future of these new Drax sites.

“The energy sector is experiencing unprecedented change with Drax right at the forefront of it. We’re going to continue to need talented, hard-working young people to help us deliver the changes needed to meet the UK’s net zero carbon ambitions. As we’ve seen with our apprentices elsewhere, supporting ambitious young people to develop their skills is critical to the ongoing success of our business.”