In-house apprentice program

Emerson Network Power has launched an in-house apprentice program in Australia to overcome the lack of skills in its core business areas.

A specialist manufacturer of precision air cooling and power protection equipment for data centres and computer rooms, the company has decided to invest in its own structured training program for TAFE apprentices and has taken on three new staff as part of the program.

“It’s no secret that Australia is in the grip of a dire skills shortage, and this situation is particularly acute in our industry despite the best efforts of the school and TAFE systems,” said Christine Wilkie, director, Human Resources, Emerson Network Power Australia.

“Fortunately for us, we have a strong relationship with some of the leading TAFEs in the country, such as Kingswood and North Sydney in New South Wales, from which our new apprentices have been recruited.”

“The four-year Apprentice Training Program was developed from the ground up with the objective of producing field-qualified service engineers,” said Ben Graham, NSW/ACT service manager, Emerson Network Power Australia.

“It covers every aspect of a qualified Emerson engineer’s skills set, from basic corporate induction into the ‘Emerson Family’, to supervised and unsupervised equipment repairs and maintenance, troubleshooting and installation.”

The apprentices are required to spend four out of five weekdays at work, either in our national training facility for one-on-one tuition from Emerson engineers, in the company’s production facilities and R&D labs in Sydney, or on site with service technicians or sub-contractors.

This approach ensures that each apprentice gains exposure to all facets of their chosen trade within the shortest possible time. One day a week is spent studying theory at TAFE, with the apprentice’s tuition fees fully reimbursed by the company on condition that they pass their course curricula.

“We’ve made a direct and sizeable investment in this program because we feel it’s the best way to grow our skills base and prepare the company for future growth in a highly competitive market,” said Wilkie.

“The program is designed to avoid the pitfalls of outsourced apprenticeships, where students end up spending three years holding ladders and carrying their instructors’ tools. This is real-world, customer-facing tuition at the coalface, and something that we hope will set the standard for on-the-job training in our industry.”