Unite and pladis sign Engineering Apprenticeship Agreement

British union Unite, and biscuit and confectionery company pladis, have announced the signing of an Engineering Apprenticeship Agreement in the UK.

The agreement sets the gold standard for apprenticeships and by 2020 the partnership will have will have enabled approximately 50 new apprentices to be recruited into engineering roles at pladis.

This UK Engineering Technician Apprenticeship Programme runs for five years and takes place across pladis’s seven sites across the country.  Pladis produces some of the UK’s bestselling biscuits including McVitie’s Digestives, Jaffa Cakes, and Jacob’s Cream Crackers.

The apprentices will receive comprehensive training in the repair and maintenance of a wide range of packaging and processing equipment under the mentorship of experienced engineering employees and Unite members.

Neil Smith, head of manufacturing HR at pladis, says, “Engineering apprentices are integral to our continuing success and we’re proud to support their development. At pladis, we continually invest in our apprentices by providing intensive and rewarding work experiences, as well as offering best-in-industry training programmes.”

Rhys McCarthy, national officer at Unite, says, “This agreement is a progressive step forward and we would like to pay tribute to pladis for recognising the invaluable role trade unions play in the design and delivery of high quality apprenticeship programmes.”

Related content

Leave a reply

Food and Drink Technology