A group of engineering apprentices from the Black Country are gearing up to work in Germany and Poland as part of a cultural exchange.
Training experts BCTG, based in Oldbury, are taking the apprentices on a two-week work experience programme to businesses in Hohenthurm, near Liepzig, Germany and Rybnik, in Poland.
Young engineers based at Doosan Babcock Ltd in Tipton will get the chance to work with their European counterparts and take in some of the culture when they travel to Doosan Babcock Energy Polska and Doosan Babcock Energy Germany, in March.
Bosses at BCTG secured funding through the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme, which encourages work-related training abroad, to run the work-related trip for 32 apprentices.
The EU programme funds practical projects in the field of vocational education and enables young people to train in another country in their chosen sector.
Chris Luty, BCTG managing director, said: “The aim of the programme is to exchange best practices, increase expertise and make vocational education more attractive to young people.
“We secured funding for it for the first time last year and took a group of young people to Ireland. Thanks to its success we are now planning to take 32 engineers to Germany and Poland where they will get first hand experience of working abroad.”
Martyn Fletcher, Doosan Babcock asset support group director, said: “As one of the biggest trainers of engineering apprentices in the UK, Doosan Babcock takes its commitment to cultivating young talent seriously. We are delighted to be working with the BCTG to provide our Tipton-based apprentices with this valuable development opportunity.”