Oxford contractor Lowe & Oliver backs apprentices with new training centre

Published by

Daniel Face

Apprentice Leon in the new centre for excellence

Oxford-based electrical and mechanical contractor Lowe & Oliver has marked National Apprenticeship Week with the launch of its new ‘centre for excellence’.

The centre will host the firm’s roster of around 30 apprentices alongside dozens more from across central and southern England.

It features a classroom as well as six bays – five electrical and one mechanical – each with demo equipment to simulate a real site.

Fred Lowe, director of Lowe & Oliver, said: “We’re delighted to have this centre up and running with our year one apprentices already on location.

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“The skills shortage is a crisis which is only growing, and we’re determined to play our part in helping to develop the next generation of engineers.

“It’s particularly rewarding for us to able open the doors of this facility just as the company has celebrated 100 years in the industry – an achievement which is almost unheard of.

“We’re all looking forward to our apprentices taking full advantage of having such an advanced facility on their doorstep, and are hoping to bolster those numbers throughout 2024 by bringing in more apprentices than ever before from local schools and colleges.”

Chairman Paul Tuson added that the centre follows the curriculum for the electrical and mechanical traditional apprenticeship at NVQ Level 2, 3 and above.

He added: “The basis of our training is designed to add support to the levels, and beyond that, already provided by an apprentice’s existing training provider and current college facility.”

Daniel Face

Born and raised in Berkshire, Dan fell into journalism after completing his bachelor’s degree in English at UCL. Writing for The Business Magazine and local Biz News sites has given him the opportunity to chat with all manner of small business owners and share their success stories with a wider audience. Outside of work, Dan enjoys live music, board games and quiz shows, and is making a slow but persistent effort to learn Spanish.