On the 29th September, Claas UK welcomed this year’s new apprentice cohort of 18 students to the Claas Academy at Saxham for their Apprentice induction and the start of their first training block on their Apprentice Programme which is highly rated by Ofsted.

18 apprentices from 11 dealerships throughout the UK and Ireland have commenced their training

Claas say they are the only UK machinery manufacturer as a registered apprenticeship training provider to deliver a specific in-house apprenticeship under one roof. This year’s cohort is made up of students from eight of their dealerships in the UK - Claas Eastern, Claas Manns, Claas Western, Morris Corfield, Rickerby, Sellars, Gordons, Riverlea, and three from Ireland; Breens, Kellys and Leinster Farm Machines.

Over the next four years, the students will initially study for a Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard in Land-Based Service Engineering and upon completion of that will progress to the Land-Based Service Engineering Technician, Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard.

For the block release elements of their training, the students will be based in the Academy’s purpose-built facilities that include specialist fabrication, hydraulic and electrical workshops along with classrooms. 

The manufacturer says completion of their apprenticeship is just the start in a career pathway that gives them to opportunity to progress to higher level Master Mechanic product specialisation status, and on to the highest Master Technician level, a role which will see them in turn supporting and helping train that generation of apprentices.