THE company behind the £3.2billion polyhalite project at Whitby, Sirius Minerals, has announced the launch of its programme to create 50 new engineering apprenticeships, providing skilled and long-term opportunities for young people.

The Company is now welcoming applications to select the first ten to start in September 2019.

With first production from Woodsmith Mine due to start in 2021, the programme will add to the Company’s growing local workforce which is expected to reach 1,000 jobs at full production.

Gareth Edmunds, External Affairs Director at Sirius Minerals Plc, said: “This builds on the extensive engagement we already do with schools and colleges to help encourage young people into careers focused on science, technology, engineering or maths.”

The four-year apprenticeship to train Advanced Engineering Technicians will be run in partnership with Tees Valley training provider, the TTE Technical Training Group. It will focus on developing a sound knowledge of electrical, mechanical and instrumentation engineering principles and putting these into practice.

The first two years will be delivered both at the Sirius Woodsmith Mine site offices in Whitby, and the TTE facility in Middlesbrough. Transport will be provided to both sites. Apprentices will continue the remaining two years of their training with Sirius Minerals in preparation for long-term engineering technician roles in installation and maintenance.

Informal information sessions will be held in Scarborough and Whitby over the coming weeks. The first two events will take place between 6pm – 7.30pm in Scarborough on December 5 at Sirius Minerals, Resolution House, Lake View, Eastfield, YO11 3ZB; and in Whitby on Monday December 10 in the Northern Lights Suite, Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, YO21 3EN. A further session will be held in Middlesbrough from 6pm – 7.30pm on Thursday, December 13 at TTE, Edison House, Middlesbrough Road East, South Bank, TS6 6TZ.

The programme is open for applications until April 2019, when successful candidates will be invited for a skills assessment and interview. More details of the scheme and how to apply are available on the Sirius Minerals website: www.siriusminerals.com/apprenticeships.

Matt Parsons, External Affairs General Manager at Sirius, said: “We’re excited to be working with an industry-leading training group able to provide opportunities to people across the area. If you’re a bright and ambitious team player with a strong work ethic, and good communication and problem-solving skills, we want to hear from you.”

TTE Technical Training Group is the UK’s leading provider of technical training to the oil and gas, process, manufacturing and engineering sectors, and offers training in its state of the art engineering training facility in Middlesbrough.

Steve Grant, CEO at TTE said: “We are delighted to expand our apprenticeship offer and look forward to working in partnership with Sirius Minerals on such a significant project that will create much-needed jobs in the region.”