TWO workers from Stevenage have fought off tough competition to secure places on the EDF Energy Networks apprenticeship scheme. Daniel Lavender and Chris Lawrence are among 11 candidates joining the training programme to become jointers, linesmen and fit

TWO workers from Stevenage have fought off tough competition to secure places on the EDF Energy Networks apprenticeship scheme.

Daniel Lavender and Chris Lawrence are among 11 candidates joining the training programme to become jointers, linesmen and fitters, selected from a pool of more than 500 people who applied.

Over the next two years they will prepare to join the skilled team of field staff who keep a quarter of the UK's electricity networks running.

Daniel, 19, is training to be a jointer, while Chris, 22, hopes to become a linesman and both will ultimately be based at Stevenage. Having worked in finance for around four years Chris had been looking to get into electrical engineering and enrolled on a course before seeing the apprenticeship scheme advertised.

He said: "When I left school I didn't really know what I wanted to do but when this came up I knew it would offer excellent career opportunities. It's only our first few weeks of the scheme but I have been very impressed with the training so far, particularly the health and safety issues we have been learning about."

Daniel is in his first job since leaving education. He said: "I was really happy when I heard I'd been accepted onto the apprenticeship scheme because EDF Energy Networks is a very good company to work for. I'd certainly recommend an apprenticeship like this to other people of my age."

EDF Energy Networks chief operating officer Laurent Ferrari said: "We are committed to maintaining a reliable supply of electricity for our customers by ensuring the people who manage our networks meet the very highest standards.

"The quality of the service we provide for our customers in the future depends on us having the right people with the right skills. Our apprenticeship scheme is enormously popular and is helping us attract and train new employees to what is an exciting industry to work in. This apprenticeship scheme is important for us because a number of people will retire in the coming years - we want to prepare for the future!"

Once their apprenticeships are complete, the new recruits will become part of the full workforce keeping electricity flowing to 7.8million customers.

The apprenticeship scheme includes a mixture of formal training, together with on-the-job experience in the field, to put their skills into practice.

At the end of their programme the apprentices will qualify with an Advanced Apprenticeship Certificate that includes City and Guilds Technical Certificate a Level 3 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Electricity System Technology Engineering, and three key skills at level 2.