As part of the British Engines Apprenticeship+ Scheme, apprentices across the group participated in an exciting outdoor activity week in the Lake District.
Each year, our third year apprentices are given the opportunity to travel to Ambleside in Cumbria, to take part in a team-building and personal development outward bound week at the Brathay Trust.
During the trip, apprentices participated in a wide range of fun but challenging outdoor activities, such as ghyll scrambling, canoeing, mountain climbing and zip lining. These team-based activities are designed to help the apprentices build confidence and resilience, whilst teaching vital teamwork, communication and leadership skills.
Luke Thompson, HSE Apprentice at group company, BEL Valves, said: “I felt I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and completed activities I would not normally even think of doing. Through participating in activities that required different communication methods, I’ve also developed my teamwork and collaboration skills massively.
“Taking the role of Team Leader in activities helped me gain more confidence when talking in large groups. Overall, Brathay was a great week which helped me gain a wider range of skills which I have now brought back to my role within the HSE team at BEL Valves.”
“Taking the role of Team Leader in activities helped me gain more confidence when talking in large groups. Overall, Brathay was a great week which helped me gain a wider range of skills which I have now brought back to my role within the HSE team at BEL Valves.”
Luke Thompson, HSE Apprentice at group company, BEL Valves
The activity week plays an important part in the apprenticeship scheme as the participants take on new challenges together, building strong relationships so they can support each other through the final years of their apprenticeship and beyond.
Dylan Headley, a Fitting Apprentice at group company, Rotary Power, said: “It was a brilliant learning experience, I got to further develop my communication and problem-solving skills. I also enjoyed getting to build closer working relationships with other apprentices across the different businesses”.
Richard Dodd, CEO of British Engines, who began his career as an apprentice said: “By participating in activities such as canoeing and scrambling and gaining experiences they may not have encountered in their personal lives, the apprentices receive a well-rounded and enriched experience. Initially, many enter into the week with trepidation, however, leave empowered having worked as a team and with skills they never knew they had”.
Find out more about the British Engines award-winning Apprenticeship+ Scheme and the opportunities it could open up for you. Applications open in December.