Four former Ron Dearing UTC students have secured prized apprenticeships at laser manufacturer Luxinar.
Jack Christian, Rhiannon Lowther, Jake Morris and Ethan Russell, all 18, are now Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Apprentices at the Hessle-based company, which has been at the forefront of laser technology and manufacture for more than two decades.
Luxinar, a Major Partner of Ron Dearing UTC, has installed thousands of lasers worldwide for use in a vast range of industries and applications and has opened its doors to apprentices from the employer-led school for the first time this year.
All four apprentices will experience every area of the business on a rotation basis as part of their two-year Level 3 apprenticeships, including manufacturing, service and after-sales, continuous improvement, quality and cable/loom assembly, and will undergo training with an external training provider every Tuesday.
Jack said: “I’ve always wanted a career in engineering and I’m really pleased to be here. I was one of the first students to join Ron Dearing UTC when it opened in 2017 and it was perfect for me. I’d rather earn while I learn through an apprenticeship than go to university.”
Rhiannon said: “Luxinar is a great place to start my career. I’d like to progress into electrical engineering or manufacturing in the future and this apprenticeship will give me a great grounding.
“Being a student at Ron Dearing UTC gives you lots of opportunities and opens doors, and you learn what is expected of you in the workplace.”
Luxinar is committed to inspiring and encouraging students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related careers, helping to shape its local future talent pipeline.
Jake said: “I’m working in service and after-sales at the moment, which means we assemble, test and fix the lasers returned from customers, and I’m really enjoying it so far.
“I prefer practical-based learning and Ron Dearing UTC helped me to go down the right engineering path. The teachers are great and very supportive, and it’s a really professional environment.”
Ethan, who is currently learning and working with power supplies as part of his apprenticeship, said: “Being a Luxinar apprentice is helping me learn more about the industry and it’s a really good company to work for. Gaining engineering theory and manufacturing experience at Ron Dearing UTC has stood me in good stead for this role.”
Chris Newman, Supervisor at Luxinar, said the company’s first cohort of Ron Dearing UTC apprentices are settling in well and they will be offered the opportunity to progress to degree level in the future if they wish.
He said: “They’re already achieving at a high level because of the skills they’ve gained from Ron Dearing UTC in readiness for the workplace.
“As a Major Partner, it’s invaluable to have the pick of the talent from the school and we’re looking forward to helping them progress within the business. Ron Dearing students are a cut above!”