QinetiQ applauds apprentice graduation
21/09/2012
Twenty-one apprentices graduated recently from the QinetiQ Apprentice School at MOD Boscombe Down in a short ceremony at the site.A keynote speech was delivered by QinetiQ Group CEO Leo Quinn, who also presented each apprentice with their certificates. The majority of this year's graduating apprentices are local to the Salisbury area and will be employed in a wide range of jobs, including aircraft maintenance and environmental testing.
The award-winning QinetiQ Apprentice School was established 43 years ago and has seen approximately 700 apprentices pass through in that time. Many apprentices have gone on to attain senior management roles in QinetiQ.
The school sits alongside an annual work experience programme each summer for local schools and an established graduate programme. The Director of Aviation Facility Services, Steve Wilkinson, who leads the School, was also in attendance.
Leo Quinn said: "I am delighted to be able to present these certificates to a new generation of young people who are the best and the brightest in their field.
"With the speed of scientific development around the world continuing to ratchet upwards, the challenges of the future will be many and varied. However, I am confident we can continue to rely on them to maintain skills in their chosen careers and keep this country at the forefront of scientific, technological and engineering expertise.
"The Apprentice School can be rightly proud of its lasting legacy to the scientific, technological and engineering community of this country."
He continued: "Today's event makes me immensely proud – we are celebrating the achievements of our people. As a business we rely entirely on the expertise and skills of our people, without whom we would not have a business. We provide our customers with impartial advice and services and our apprentices are an important part of building the future generation to maintain this essential capability requirement. I am particularly proud of our apprentice programme, which goes from strength to strength, especially at a time of rising youth unemployment. Just as they have been inspired by their tutors and colleagues, I believe in time they will themselves inspire a new generation of engineers. We are committed to helping our younger employees become the future leaders of tomorrow as they are 'people who know how' with the right skills to succeed. I am happy to say that this year we are recruiting a record number of apprentices across the company."
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