Level 3 – Polymer Processing Technician

"I started as an apprentice at St Richards and I really enjoyed the learning on the job and the online learning of the course content. The school was really supportive and was very flexible with how I completed my apprenticeship. I was supported the whole way through by the mentor from the school and the tutor from Tiro. Once I finished my apprenticeship, I had the opportunity to progress to senior science technician. I have learnt so much in just a short time and have really enjoyed it and all the opportunities that have arisen during this time."

"The main surprise from this apprenticeship is that I learned practical and transferable skills that I did not learn from university, that can be transferred into other workplaces."

"I struggled a lot early on in my apprenticeship and to be honest at one point I did honestly think I wasn’t going to be able to finish it. Looking back now that would have been a huge mistake! During my apprenticeship I was always made to feel equal with others and shared equal responsibility, often working independently on site and in the lab carrying out UKAS Accredited tests. "

"With all the knowledge I have gained through Tiro and KEVICC, I believe that I can take on any challenges I face. "

"Employing Aerospace skills in the Glossop area had been impossible. We’ve quickly learned that to develop the skills we need, we need to attract grass roots candidates that we can train into great Aerospace Engineers."

"We've struggled to grow and retain new skill.  The apprenticeship programme has allowed us to attract young, local talent with an eagerness to learn. Within 5 years we expect our skill level to have developed to a world class fastener manufacturer throughout."

"The Level 3 program has taught me how to balance work on top of education, and I now feel confident to study at Degree level. The experience I have gained at Waters has made me grow as a professional. Without all of this I would not be able to take the next step into a Level 6 apprenticeship. "

"The apprenticeship scheme really made the difference between success and failure for Balfour Beatty. We knew we needed more Materials Technicians coming through, and we had to plug that skills gap ourselves. Thanks to our partnership with Tiro, it’s gone significantly better than we expected. The quality of the apprentices has been very high, and we’ve achieved an excellent retention rate. We’ve been able to fast-track people into roles with significant responsibilities. We’d never have done that before after just 3 years in the job."

"The team at Tiro are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to apprenticeships, and they have a wealth of experience in our sectors. They quickly developed a bespoke programme to meet our business needs and adapted to using our own recruitment portal. By following their well-structured recruitment and selection process, they have found great candidates for us every time. And they’ve gone above and beyond to deliver excellent customer service throughout the process."

"Tiro pre-screened all of our candidates and made sure that every person we interviewed was of a really high calibre. The Tutors do a great job of supporting and encouraging our apprentices throughout their learning journey, and checking in frequently to make sure they are meeting our expectations. We are delighted with their support."

"Tiro truly is a wonderful company to work for. Tiro's culture and ways of working really does set them apart from other employers. The best part of being a Tiro employee is working alongside such positive, friendly, and supportive people. Every day I am excited to get stuck into my tasks, and make an impact by setting Tiro apprentices up for success. "

"Being part of Tiro is a great opportunity to apply my knowledge and experience, contribute to societal change and make a different in a positive way. I get to share my life-long obsession with science with colleagues and learners every day. Since joining Tiro I have challenged, been challenged, grown and developed in ways that have left me hungry for more. "