A WIRRAL company's work training "engineers of the future" was praised ahead of National Apprenticeship Week.
The mayor, Cllr Jeff Green, paid tribute to SURE Solutions Solutions work during a visit to its premises in Birkenhead on Friday (February 3).
The company, which formed in 2016, sits 35th nationally in the Top 50 Small Mini Enterprise (SME) Apprenticeship Employers 2022 and was awarded Employer of the Year at the Wirral Business Awards.
A spokesperson for the firm said: "Our apprentices play a huge role in our day-to-day work; indeed, all the Management Team have at some point been apprentices themselves."
Among the apprentices is Kieran Sherlock from Wallasey, who is training to be a refrigeration engineer, studying at City of Liverpool College.
The 18-year-old former student at St Anselms College in Birkenhead, said: "The apprenticeship and college aspect as well has been great.
"It was a very competitive application process, but am enjoying every minute.
"Apprenticeships are definitely the better route, I'd recommend them to anybody."
Millie Edwards, from Rock Ferry "It's good fun, I love getting stuck into the work.
"My aim is to encourage young female children to get into engineering." Millie left school aiming for the army, but ended up becoming a travel agent before embarking on a different career plan.
She explained: "I was a travel agent for three years, but thought 'I want more 'hands-on skills', things that are going to be useful forever. Engineering was an avenue I wanted to go down.
"I applied for the job and here I am, two years later, having fun.
"Five years down the line, I want to be recognised as a good engineer within the industry and still inspiring women to join."
During his visit, the Mayor met staff and apprentices to hear of their success.
Cllr Green told the Globe during his visit: "It's great to see how the business, at six years old, is expanding and has become top SME on Wirral, won at the recent business awards and to see to it investing in apprenticeships.
"I've met the youngsters that are coming through as apprentices and some in their 50s that have got skills but are turning them into new skills. It's absolutely fantastic.
"I'm so delighted to have been here, to thank the entire company for its success and to say thank you for the work they are doing to train the engineers of the future."
The company director, Garry Shaw: "We believe our apprentice program is the way forward. We have a long-term strategy in place.
"Having our team upskill and develop with us as the business grows is a great way of ensuring continuity and competitiveness."
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