Herrenknecht increased its annual intake of apprenticeship trainees in 2008 following the step up in training activity in the previous year.
The German TBM manufacturer took on 65 trainees in the third quarter of the year to undertake either apprenticeships or its cooperative education programme.
Last year, Herrenknecht took on 57 trainees, a major increase over the 2006 level of 34. It said the 10% rise in intake numbers over last time was greater than the industry average. Inside two years, its annual intake rate of trainees has almost doubled.
Currently, it has 178 young trainees, which is an increase of approximately a third over 2007. Early next year, it will open new premises for trainees.
Of the total number under training, two-thirds are in industrial activities while the remainder are in commercial and technical activities. There are 20 high school graduates in the co-operative education programme.
