Airedale by Modine, specialists in critical cooling, is celebrating its apprenticeship program, spotlighting George Hardesty who graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering.
George began his apprenticeship at Airedale in 2018 after earning a Level 3 qualification at a local technical college. Airedale supported George through his Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) with practical courses and study leave. This initial period allowed George to explore various departments, gaining comprehensive business insights.
After completing his HND at Bradford College, Airedale funded George's mechanical engineering degree at Sheffield Hallam University on a day-release basis, allowing him to balance work and study effectively.
"In the early days of my degree, I found it very challenging and had to make sacrifices to succeed," George said. "Studying every evening and weekend was intense, but knowing it was temporary helped me push through."
He continued, "Graduating while working has opened more professional opportunities for me. I now have engineering qualifications and six years of work experience, enabling me to apply for senior roles without incurring university debt."
Adrian Trevelyan, Vice President General Manager, emphasized the importance of apprenticeships at Airedale. "We invest in formal technical education for apprentices, from one year at college to degree level. We currently have over 30 apprentices progressing into various roles, including production management and engineering design."
"We take pride in heavily investing in our employees to provide meaningful employment," Adrian concluded. "Many leaders in our company, including myself, started as apprentices or trainees."
George is now set to transition into a qualified role within Airedale's software development team.
