National Apprenticeship Week
Published: 13 February, 2025
John Crane, a global leader in rotating equipment solutions, energy transition technologies and services, and a business of Smiths Group plc, has announced the launch of its inaugural Degree-Level Engineering Apprenticeship programme with the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre.
In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week (10-16 Feb 2025), the programme opens with two live vacancies in the Manchester team, solidifying the company’s commitment to nurturing young talent to advance high-performance sealing technologies crucial for the energy transition.
At the forefront of innovation for advanced sealing solutions in rotating equipment, the programme further strengthens John Crane’s partnership with the University of Sheffield. It is another significant step in the organisation's mission to accelerate core technology development and introduce new sealing concepts needed for a hydrogen and low-carbon economy. Ultimately, these initiatives will support and nurture the next generation of engineers at a very early stage of their career development.
From now until the end of March 2025, budding engineers, aged 18 and above, looking to embark on their engineering career can now apply to become a Mechanical Engineer degree apprentice directly with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The programme will span across five years, and selected apprentices can expect to undergo full-time block training at the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre in the first year, with one Friday each month working from John Crane’s site in Trafford Park, Manchester. In subsequent years knowledge study will be one day a week, with the remaining four days spent with John Crane for on-the-job learning.
Sally-Anne Williams, Early Careers Partner at John Crane said: "In honour of National Apprenticeship Week, we’re excited to introduce the programme for young people who perhaps thought the cost of obtaining a university education was too out of reach. Through the partnership with AMRC, selected apprentices will be able to earn a salary while receiving on-the-job training and a well-rounded university experience at the University of Sheffield, one of the UK’s leading engineering training providers. We hope that this will help them kickstart a fulfilling career in engineering and gain their degree from a Russell Group University.”
Dan Swift, Business Development Executive at AMRC said: “It’s been a fantastic journey so far. As soon as John Crane signed the MOU with the University of Sheffield, the discussion almost immediately turned to their workforce skills agenda and how the AMRC Training Centre could assist in meeting the requirements. I’m so pleased to have secured these two Level 6 degree engineer apprenticeships for the upcoming September 2025 intake and welcome John Crane to the AMRC Training Centre Employer portfolio.”
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