Spencer Group has demonstrated its commitment to bringing more women into the engineering industry as it welcomed nine new apprentices to its growing team. Four of the new recruits are young women, meaning that, in this year’s cohort, the percentage of female apprentices is an impressive 44% – more than double the national industry average. The new apprentices include seven civil engineering degree apprentices, one commercial apprentice, and one Level 3 business administration apprentice, who is joining Spencer Group’s sister business, IT solutions provider Layer8.
According to recent research by Engineering UK, just 20% of young people beginning apprenticeships in engineering and technology are women. The proportion of young women applying for apprenticeship roles at Spencer Group has also risen from just 2.6% in 2019, to 27%.
Hull-based Spencer Group is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace where women feel supported, listened to and treated equally to their male counterparts. The business works closely with educators, including Hull’s employer-led school, Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC), to support female potential future engineers from an early age, and break down barriers which prevent young women entering the industry. Representatives from the business, including female leaders and apprentices, regularly host workshops and careers talks at Ron Dearing UTC, as well as attending open events at the school, sharing their experiences to demonstrate that it is possible for women to forge successful and rewarding careers in what remains a-male-dominated field. The business has also established a Women’s Forum to ensure female colleagues have a safe space to share experiences, identify areas for improvement, and shape the future of the business as inclusive for all.
Lucie Metcalfe is one of the new civil engineering degree apprentices and has joined Spencer Group after completing her A-Level and technical qualifications at Ron Dearing UTC.
She said: “I really liked Spencer Group’s application process. The team rang me at each stage of the process, then invited me for an interview, so it felt more personal than with other companies and showed me that they really care about their employees.
“That gave me a positive impression of the business from the very start.
“I also really like that Spencer Group allows apprentices to rotate around the different departments in the business. I think I’d like to go into design, but I also know that there are probably roles and teams which I’ve not even heard about, so I’m really open-minded and looking forward to learning about all the different opportunities there are in the industry.
“Each new apprentice also gets paired with a ‘buddy’ who is an apprentice from a previous cohort, which I think is a great idea. My buddy is also a female, so it’s really nice to have someone to go to with any questions who has recently been in my position.”
Commercial apprentice Grace Campbell has joined the team after studying A-levels at South Hunsley School and Sixth Form in Melton, East Yorkshire.
She said: “I knew I wanted to go straight into the workplace after Sixth Form. The cost of university really put me off, so being able to work while continuing to learn seemed like the best of both worlds.
“I did work experience at Spencer Group during Sixth Form and everyone was so nice and it seemed like such a welcoming and inclusive workplace, so I knew I wanted to apply for a job there in future.”
Group HR Director, Yvonne Moir, said: “We’re delighted to welcome our latest intake of apprentices.
“We’re especially pleased to see such a significant proportion of young women in this year’s cohort, taking on roles across the business, including in engineering, commercial and within our sister IT business.
“It’s a powerful demonstration of our commitment to continuing to break down barriers to women entering engineering and to encouraging more young females to consider a career in the industry.”
Spencer Group is also committed to investing in developing young talent to address skills gaps across the engineering industry. This year’s cohort takes the number of apprentices Spencer Group has recruited over the past eight years to 77, with a 100% pass rate for those who have completed their studies and achieved a variety of qualifications.
Civil engineering degree apprentice Jack Simms is following in the footsteps of his brother, Luke, who is also completing an apprenticeship with Spencer Group. Luke joined the business last year and was recently named as a finalist in the Technical Apprentice of the Year category at the G4C Yorkshire and Humber Awards.
Jack said: “Doing an apprenticeship was an obvious choice for me. I don’t want to have student debt when I’m older, so an apprenticeship allows me to earn while I learn.
“My brother, Luke, started his apprenticeship with Spencer Group last year and is loving it. He was recently shortlisted for an award, so it has definitely been encouraging for me to see how well he is doing and the opportunities Spencer Group provides to its apprentices.”
