Historic apprenticeships set up in the UK
1 min read
The Guild of Specialist Engineers has set up an apprenticeship programme, which will see many more young people in the UK working with historic transport.
At the announcement of the programme, Chairman of the Guild, Eddie Hoare, commented: "This is a major step forward in ensuring that young people are encouraged to enter the world of classic cars and other historic engineering, which accounts for billions of pounds worth of revenue to the UK economy."
"It also ensures that specialist engineering skills are maintained for the future and that is what the Guild is all about," he added.
The Guild has recently been set up to represent and promote the interests of specialist engineers of classic cars and all forms of historic motorised transportation. It has been founded by an established group of specialist engineers in the field of classic and race-car restoration and preparation. Membership is by invitation only.
"The Guild recognises the need to promote the industry to a new generation of aspiring engineers. Passing on technological knowledge and craft skills is crucial if we are to preserve our automotive heritage," explained Hoare. "It was vital, therefore, to put into place an Apprenticeship Programme appropriate to the needs of our members and I am delighted that this will now be a reality. The training will be unique in providing the carefully structured learning of skills bespoke to classic and sports car maintenance and restoration."
The Apprenticeship Programme has been developed for the Guild and its members by Roger Waters, Chairman of the Motor Manufacturers' Technical Training Conference, and Clive Temple, Director of the Post Graduate Motorsport Engineering Programme at Cranfield University.
The programme will be matched to the specific requirements and specialisation of its members. It encourages the handing on of technical craft skills special to the historic vehicle industry, it is claimed.
Hoare concluded by saying that apprenticeships are a hot topic within politics right now. The programme, he believes, will benefit the career prospects of 16-19 year old aspiring engineers.
The training will be provided by Babcock International and as Jay Leno once said: "Keeping the knowledge passed on to younger generations is crucial if we are to preserve our automotive past."
