Wrightbus is planning to recruit 60 new apprentices as the business continues to expand in the UK and Europe.
It is among a number of companies hiring new recruits as part of NI Apprenticeship Week, including NI Water (who are taking on 23 people), Danske Bank (17) and Liberty IT (five).
Wrightbus, which developed the world’s first hydrogen double deck bus and has just moved into zero-emission trucking with the launch of its Rightech brand, already employs more than 70 apprentices at its Ballymena factory.
To mark Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week and UK National Apprenticeship Week, Wrightbus is holding two events to showcase what the company has to offer.
On Wednesday February 5 (9.30am-2.30pm) there will be an Apprenticeship Insight Day for people aged 16 and over. It will give would-be apprentices the opportunity to meet engineers, tour Wrightbus’s state-of-the-art factory and get a feel for the entire bus build process (details at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wrightbus-apprentice-insight-day)
Then on February 12, the company will hold an open night for people interested in apprenticeships, as well as their parents or guardians.
Wrightbus, which currently employs 2,200 people, says it needs to increase its workforce in the coming months to keep up with demand.
Apprenticeship roles include level three manufacturing engineering, level three mechanical engineering, fabrication welding, coachbuilding, driveline operatives, spray painting, and electrical. Wrightbus is also offering apprenticeships in the new areas of logistics, purchasing and administration.
Meanwhile NI Water has announced plans to recruit 23 apprentices, higher level apprentices and graduates for its September 2025 intake.
Winners of The Irish News’s 2024 Best Employee Development Programme (large business), the utility will be recruiting across a diverse range of business disciplines including water utilities, energy, science, business analytics, financial systems and information management.
NI Water’s entry level academy aims to attract school leavers, at GCSE and A-Level stages, graduates and people who would like to change their career and step into a role that makes a difference.
If applicants are successful, benefits include an attractive reward package from day one including attractive salary, structured career development and fully funded qualifications and subsidised driving lessons.
NI Water is hosting a virtual open evening event on ThursdayFebruary 6 at 7pm for applicants to learn more about its entry level academy (details at www.niwater.com/entrylevelacademy).
Elsewhere, Danske Bank is looking for 17 new apprentices to join its Danske Futures higher level apprenticeship programme.
Danske Futures is a fully funded degree programme with Ulster University, allowing students to study part-time for a BSc Hons in leading on customer operations whilst gaining real world experience working in the bank.
Danske Futures has welcomed a range of participants over the years from school leavers to those looking for a career change at a later stage in life. The bank will offer successful applicants a permanent, salaried role within its personal banking or operations team to earn while they learn.
Successful candidates will join the bank this summer and will gain valuable insight and learnings working alongside different teams in Danske Bank. Established in 2018, the programme includes development opportunities, training and mentoring support.
And Liberty IT has launched its annual recruitment drive and is seeking five new apprentice software engineers (visit liberty-it.co.uk/careers before Friday February 21).
Aimed at secondary school leavers and those seeking a change in career, the roles are suitable for people passionate about tech and interested in starting a job in a new industry.
Through its TechStart Apprenticeship Programme, the company provides on-the-job learning and structured academic and development programmes giving each participant the opportunity to complete a BSc computing systems at Ulster University while they work.
