Transdev offers tomorrow’s engineers a ticket to a new career

Yorkshire bus operator begins recruitment drive for three-year apprenticeships – with top industry qualifications and above average earnings

A ticket to success – that’s the offer from Yorkshire-based bus operator Transdev, which is launching an exciting new three-year engineering apprenticeship programme.

The bus firm says successful candidates can look forward to gaining a top engineering qualification, with above average annual earnings of around £40,000 plus overtime – while everyone who completes the programme will also gain a full PCV driving licence.

And as Transdev and the wider bus industry continue their transition to zero-emission electric buses, the operator says there’s never been a better time than now to apply – with demand for time-served engineers at an all-time high.

Transdev is to host assessment events for candidates looking to secure an engineering apprenticeship on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 August, so the bus company is urging those wanting to apply to do so quickly, with details online at: transdevbus.co.uk/work-for-us/.

21 year old Owen Baxter beat over 50 applicants in August 2021 for the coveted opportunity to join Transdev’s The Harrogate Bus Company as a Mechelec Engineering Apprentice. Three years on, he’s about to become a skilled engineer with an industry-recognised Level 3 qualification.

The term ‘Mechelec’ reflects the combination of mechanical and electrical skills required for the role, along with a forensic ability to find and fix complex faults to keep buses where they belong – on the road serving customers.

In Spring 2021, having completed three years of study at Newcastle College to secure his Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering, Owen spotted an online advertisement for a coveted apprenticeship at The Harrogate Bus Company. In that moment, he knew it was his chance to make his career dreams come true.

Owen says: “The joy of it for me is in fault finding – the ability to look at something that doesn’t work, find the cause and fix it. That feeling of achievement when you return a bus to the road is what first drove me to build my career as an engineer here in Harrogate.

Owen’s role is about much more than simple day-to-day repairs. A Mechelec technician has to work with a varied bus fleet from different manufacturers, with inspections, diagnoses, repairs and testing of electronic and mechanical systems all part of the job – while mastering everything from replacing a single part to solving complex faults using the latest computerised diagnostic equipment.

All successful candidates will join on a three-year programme combining in-workshop learning with college study, and at the end of the scheme they will become fully-qualified PCV engineers.

Full details of Transdev’s 2024 apprenticeship scheme and how to apply are available online at: transdevbus.co.uk/work-for-us/.