Eriez provides 2-week apprenticeships to French students.

Recently Eriez Magnetics Europe opened its doors to apprentices from the South of France to work with the Eriez team for 2 weeks and develop their skills. Andy Dornon and Thomas Ducla, welding and fabrications students from the Lycée des Métiers, a technical college in Bordeaux, immersed themselves in the Light Fabrications Department at Eriez, worked very hard and developed their skills significantly from the practical experience they gained. 

This continues Eriez’ dedicated investment into apprenticeships and developing the vocational skills of the future generation of welders and fabricators. Eriez Europe has a regular intake of apprentices at our Caerphilly production site each year. Apprentices (with more starting this September) within Welding, Fabrications and other processes are active and developing at Eriez at the moment.

The apprentices’s involvement with Eriez came about through a partnership of Eriez, Coleg Y Cymoedd and the Lycée des Métiers, Bordeaux. This saw Eriez apprentices Ben Coles and Cerwyn West travel to Germany for work experience last year.

Andy and Thomas spent a significant amount of their 2 weeks under the supervision and tuition of Evan and David on the shop floor. As experienced welders themselves they could provide expert guidance and answer any questions they had.

From working within Eriez’ Light Fabrications Department the apprentices were able to work on Eriez products such as plate and tube magnets that were going out to customers. Under supervision, the apprentices used equipment such as guillotines, brake press and TIG welding equipment. As the 2 weeks progressed the apprentices's confidence, skills and application of the machinery progressed tremendously.

The apprentices were able to contribute effectively to production within the 2 weeks. Adrian Robinson, Production Manager, commented “It was a pleasure to have Andy and Thomas over for the 2 week period they were with us. They were able to contribute to the production calendar through conducting fabricating and welding work on plate and tube magnets using guillotine and brake press, hand dressing and TIG welding equipment. They’ll be able to return to France better equipped to flourish in their studies and enter the labour market effective with the relevant skills and experiences.”

As a token of gratitude Adrian presented Andy and Thomas with Welsh miner’s lanterns as a gift for their hard work.  

Adrian and Thomas were thrilled with their time at Eriez and were very grateful for the practical skills they developed as well as furthering their English language knowledge. Adrian and Thomas will be able to return to the Lycée des Métiers, Bordeaux with vastly improved practical skills and better equipped to enter the labour market in their native France.  

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  • Worldwide authority in separation technologies, Eriez Magnetics develops, manufactures and markets advanced equipment for magnetic separation equipment, metal detection, vibratory feeding, lifting and handling thr...