Your Contact
Phil Maloney
Human Resources
EGGER (UK) Limited
Anick Grange Road
Hexham, Northumberland
NE46 4JS
T 01434 602191
Get answers to our most frequently asked questions
Who trains the apprentices? What are the usual working hours and what expectations do apprentices have about an apprenticeship at EGGER?
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
Working hours and earnings
The working hours at EGGER vary depending on your role.
Our Business Administration Apprentices work an average of 37 ½ hours a week, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm with one hour unpaid for lunch.
Our Engineering Apprentices (Electricians/Mechanical Fitters) work day shift from their first year on site, until they go on to the 4 shift pattern as part of their training during their final year.
Our day shift is Monday to Friday 7:30am to 3:30pm, with half an hour paid for lunch, working an average of 40 hours a week.
Our Apprentice Laboratory Technicians work the relevant shift required within the Quality department, however it will be Monday to Friday working an average of 37 ½ hours.
For our Business Administration Apprentices, following their six month probationary period, there may be the opportunity for them to join the flexitime scheme. This means that on the rare occasion that they have to work over their 37 ½ hours a week, they will be able to claim this back at a time which is convenient for both the apprentice and their department.
Engineering and Laboratory Apprentices are not able to access the flexitime scheme due to operational requirements.
Our apprentices are entitled to 25 days annual leave, plus statutory bank holidays, the same as any other EGGER employee.
The salary for our apprentices changes each year to ensure we remain competitive. To find out the exact salary for each specific programme, please contact our Human Resources Department.
Training
Our Business and Administration Apprentices can rotate around three different departments, dependant on the devised training path:
- Commercial/Customer Service
- Logistics/Production Planning
- Technical Purchasing
In each department they are trained by experienced employees and through this gain a comprehensive knowledge of EGGER and how we work - this forms the perfect basis for a successful career.
Thanks to this rotation, many apprentices discover their strengths and preferences, this provides them with an idea of which path they wish to pursue after their apprenticeship.
Through our apprenticeship, our apprentices are able to develop not only their technical abilities within their chosen careers, but also have the opportunity to further their social competencies, which are becoming increasingly important in today’s world of work.
Alongside gaining on the job training with qualified EGGER employees, our apprentices also gain academic training from local colleges.
EGGER is a large multinational organisation with 18 manufacturing plants in eight countries and sales offices worldwide.
During their apprenticeship there may be the opportunity for some international travel.
Depending on what is happening throughout the Group at the time, opportunities to travel to other sites within mainland Europe could be a possibility.
Each of our apprenticeships is made up of a combination of on the job training, with skilled and qualified EGGER employees.
This gives the apprentices insight into the systems at EGGER and gain from their trainer’s extensive experience. Alongside this, they also receive training from external training providers who either come on site to see the apprentice one on one, or the apprentice has day release at a local college.
With our Electrical and Mechanical Apprenticeships based in Hexham, the set up is slightly different as they spend their first year off site at Sunderland Engineering Training Association (SETA), gaining valuable skills before joining us on site in their second year.
Through our varied approach, we ensure that each apprentice comes out with nationally recognised qualifications.
EGGER offers apprentices high quality training in various departments. In this way it creates the perfect opportunity to work as a specialist, both at our sites in the UK and within our other plants in Europe.
We are proud of the fact that over 90% of our apprentices decide to continue working for us after their apprenticeships.
We believe this is due to our good working atmosphere and promising EGGER career opportunities.
Application and perspectives
EGGER can offer work experience placements to students from the local schools, at any point throughout the year. We see work experience as a great way for people to come to EGGER and see how we operate as an organisation and the available opportunities.
If you would be interested in work experience, please contact the Human Resources Department and we can discuss in more detail what you would be looking to gain and what we can offer.
Yes, we can organise a tour of our plant for your class. We have a designated tour route which means that you would get to see the whole production process from the raw materials all the way to the end product.
If you would like to discuss the opportunity of a site tour further, please contact the Human Resources Department.
We like to visit local schools to discuss the opportunities that our apprenticeships bring and what EGGER has to offer. We also bring with us current apprentices to discuss their experiences and to answer pupils questions.
EGGER has four apprenticeship schemes:
- Mechanical Engineering (4 Years): Available at Hexham and Barony
- Electrical Engineering (4 Years): Available at Hexham and Barony
- Business Administration (2 Years): Available at Hexham and Barony
- Laboratory Technician (2 Years): Available at Hexham
The amount of apprentices recruited differs each year depending on the needs of the business.
Our Apprentice Laboratory Technician role and Business Administration Apprentices are usually only available every other year, therefore during those years we would look to recruit about 7 apprentices, whereas on other years it would be approximately 4.
Within the UK we currently have approximately 32 apprentices in training.
If you would like further information about our apprenticeship schemes, please contact our Human Resources Department on 01434 613361.