Whale Tankers. An unusual name for a company you may think? Well not when you consider the size of the monsters that these guys produce!

In operation since 1969, Whale manufacturer bespoke behemoth vehicles such as the mammoth MEGAWhale.

Lisa Davison is Whale’s HR Officer and she co-ordinates the apprentices that are lucky enough to get their hands on these massive mechanical marvels.

Thanks for joining us today Lisa. So tell us a little about apprenticeships at Whale?

Well we have run the scheme for six years now and see it very much as succession planning. We very much believe that it’s the best way to develop the skills for our company and as such, all of our apprentices have stayed with us as a business.

That’s an amazing achievement. So I expect you’re really reaping the rewards of that investment then?

We are but you need to bear in mind that it takes a number of years for us to see a true return on investment as it takes our apprentices six years to become fully operational. It’s a really comprehensive training program but in the long run the cost in both time and money is well worth it.

Does that mean you value an apprentice over that of a university graduate for instance?

Not necessarily, there’s an argument for both. Apprentices learn the practical skills but they do require higher education and this is something that we offer within our scheme. Upon saying that though, you can mould an apprentice to understand the business they are in and because of this it makes them more valuable.

I expect you’re very proud when an apprentice ‘graduates’ then?

It is very rewarding to see individuals achieve and mature. I especially like the graduation day that EEF now conduct as this adds a sense of occasion to their achievement.

Is EEF something you’d recommend to employers?

The EEF apprenticeship scheme is very good from start to finish and that is because many of those involved have come from an engineering background and not education, which helps in the apprentice’s development.

High praise indeed Lisa. We appreciate your time.

Lisa and her well-oiled apprentice machine are helping Whale Tankers manufacturer some of the most sophisticated vehicles on British roads. Combining application and academic learning, what could an apprentice do for your business? Find out more here.