The Royal Mint invites applications for 2015 Engineering Apprenticeship programme

The Royal Mint is inviting applications for its 2015 Engineering Apprenticeship programme as part of a recruitment initiative to identify young talent to help drive the traditional business forward in the modern era.

Successful applicants will join the organisation’s engineering division in September and spend the next four years participating in a programme which combines vocational learning with expert technical training on site to gain their industry qualifications.

While The Royal Mint’s long established traditions and heritage are always respected, it continually innovates and embraces the latest technology and production techniques in order to remain at the forefront of world minting.

The south Wales based organisation is the world’s leading export mint, serving more than 100 issuing authorities around the globe and manufacturing nearly 2 billion circulating coins for the UK alone in the last financial year.

Joseph Landeg, age 19, and Scott Thomas, age 20, are currently in the first year of their apprenticeship programme after being recruited by The Royal Mint in 2014.

Joseph, from Bryn near Maesteg, gained a BTEC in Engineering before deciding to focus his sights on a vocational career route instead.

He said, “After two years at college I wanted to get into industry and be more ‘hands on’ rather than spending another three years at university. I was more interested in electrics than mechanical engineering at college so I decided to focus on that instead. The Royal Mint had interested me for many years because it’s a local company which is international and makes money for the world.

“My role is to make sure that the mechanical presses used to strike commemorative coins work as they should, and when they should, reducing engineering downtime and the negative impact on production. I have really enjoyed meeting all the people who work at the mint because everyone is so friendly and they’ve made it much easier to settle in. The managers allocate jobs but get you straight into it so you can just get on, rather than sitting back and waiting. After my apprenticeship I’d like to do more training and get more qualifications so I can keep on growing throughout the company.”

Scott, from Aberdare, also attended a local college before choosing to follow in his father’s footsteps and embark on an apprenticeship.

He said, “My dad is an electrician and I have always been interested in what he does. I wanted to get good qualifications and a career, but was put off the idea of going to university because of the cost associated with it. Studying an apprenticeship allows me to earn money and learn at the same time. The Royal Mint seemed like a brilliant place to work because it has lots of history behind it and is a sustainable, stable company.

“I work in the part of the mint which manufactures circulating coins for all the different countries. It’s my job to carry out general maintenance, planned work, breakdown cover, fix the machines and accompany my mentor on projects so that I can pick things up. The process of actually making a coin is very interesting, and I like getting to know how everything works and functions. I’d like to get as much training behind me as possible, work on some projects and go up the ladder, and The Royal Mint seems like a good place to do this.”

Anne Jessopp, The Royal Mint’s Director of Business Services, said, “Our business continues to go from strength to strength and we will be delivering a number of exciting large scale projects over the next couple of years, including the opening of The Royal Mint Visitor Centre and the launch of a new circulating UK £1 coin. We employ a number of apprentices and graduates, who are all at varying stages in their personal development plan, and strive to continue offering these opportunities to help reduce a skills shortage within the industry. The Royal Mint’s employees are one of its strongest assets, and the entrepreneurial spirit, ingenuity, determination and skills of the local workforce play an integral part in driving business strategies forward and helping to ensure the success of the organisation.”