Ariens Company has a rich and successful history in engineering in the UK, manufacturing the Countax and Westwood brands of garden tractors and accessories. To ensure the continuation of this success into the future the company recognizes the need to invest in the next generation of British engineers, to build on its culture of nurturing the best talent. The Ariens Company Apprenticeship Programme started in 2014 and the aim is to recruit two new apprentices every year to ensure and maintain this success. Tanya Bezuidenhout, Ariens HR Manager UK & Scandinavia, says:

“Developing new talent within engineering is key to the business’s success. With the current skills shortage in engineering, we’re proud to show our commitment in this economic climate, by making long term investment in new talent, offering extensive training and career development opportunities. It is so rewarding to witness our apprentices grow in confidence and become skilled engineers. We’ve been really pleased with how things have been going and we’re now looking to recruit two more apprentices to grow our talent pool further.”

Ariens Company currently has three apprentices across different areas of the business ranging from Tool Making to Electrical Engineering: Charlie Crago (20) Tool Maker Apprentice – Level 3 NVQ Extended Diploma in Engineering Toolmaking; Max Tod (20) Manufacturing Mechanical Engineer Apprentice – Level 3 NVQ Extended Diploma in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering and Christopher Duckham (18) Electrical Engineer Apprentice – Level 3 NVQ Extended Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Although each apprentice position is full-time, they also spend one day a week at college studying for a professional qualification.

“I was attracted to the apprenticeship straightaway.” Says Charlie Crago. “Its well-developed pathway meant I was learning from an expert who would take a personal interest in my development and skills.” Max Tod endorses this: “I’m so glad I decided to give an apprenticeship a go. It’s a great way to gain experience on the job and quickly develop new skills.”

Ariens say the success of the Countax and Westwood brands is down to the people who build the tractors. Each and every employee is passionate about Ariens products and they continuously work to drive quality at each stage of the manufacturing process