Monaghan-based entrepreneur Martin McVicar has highlighted the challenges facing students seeking employment in a post COVID-19 environment. He was speaking as the company announced it was opening recruitment for its traineeship, with a virtual tour and information session being held on Tuesday, March 23, at 7pm.

The Combilift chief said that while COVID-19 has disrupted all aspects of life, it would have a lasting impact for those faced with making career decisions as they finished school.

Now in its sixth year, the traineeship is one of the very few courses that continued with its practical on-the-job element during the pandemic. Trainees are currently completing the remaining weeks of their 12-week placement at the Combilift global headquarters in line with social distancing requirements.

Students learning on the job in Combilift

“Many students are now asking themselves if they want to go away to college and incur the financial cost of studying away from home and then find themselves attending college online or graduating with a qualification in a very changed employment market,” McVicar told the Engineers Journal.

He said that by opting for the traineeship students were being offered a great opportunity to obtain a nationally recognised qualification locally, at no cost, and while receiving valuable work experience.

Combilift, in partnership with Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB), have successfully delivered the OEM engineering technology traineeships for more than six years, with 80% successfully gaining employment from the course.

Employment and further study opportunities

Increased demand for Combilift forklifts means that those applying for its traineeship will be fast-tracked through the application process for employment when they complete the course, according to the managing director.

“Since the start of the course in 2015 more than 100 people have completed the traineeship and the vast majority are still working with us. Several have gained promotion while others have been sponsored by the company to undertake further study at apprenticeship or degree level.

"We have trainee graduates who have progressed and are now completing degree programmes on a part-time basis with Sligo Institute of Technology and others who have taken up places on the OEM apprenticeship programme.”

Job-ready when qualified

McVicar said that the course produced highly qualified and employable engineering graduates. “The past year, despite the global interruption to business and the supply chain being a challenging one for Combilift, we have been focused on recruiting more qualified staff to meet growing demand while also recognising that people need to be upskilled.

"The traineeship offers an opportunity to gain a recognised qualification and practical work experience locally. The students who complete the course get an excellent blend of practical training and knowledge which means they are job ready.

"The growth of online shopping and the need for companies to implement social distancing is driving demand for warehouse space, which means they need more vehicles and, in turn, Combilift has the need to recruit additional staff. In 2020 we achieved more than €300 million in sales and we are planning to exceed that target in 2021,” he said.

“With an expanding workforce, high-tech engineering and equipment, in our state-of-the-art facilities, this is an industry that is growing and a perfect opportunity for OEM engineering trainees to get a solid basis and understanding of the basic principles of engineering and work on innovative projects.” 

Engineering processes, engineering drawing and CAD and hydraulics

The traineeship offers a combination of workplace learning with Combilift and classroom-based learning at the Monaghan Institute. The course content has a mix of practical hands-on experience combined with classroom-based training.

Designed by engineers at Combilift in collaboration with the CMETB, it includes Engineering Processes; Auto Electricity; Control Systems; Engineering Drawing; and CAD and Hydraulics.

The opportunity to be fast-tracked in a job application to Combilift on completion of the course has attracted a large number of applications from students in counties Monaghan, Cavan, Meath, Galway, Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh.

There are no course fees, while PPE and tool kits are provided to students. Individuals may also be eligible for a range of financial support including a training allowance or company bursary, travel and meal allowances.

Application process

A virtual tour and information on the traineeship will be available on Tuesday, March 23, and applicants will have the opportunity to talk with course tutors, past and current trainees and have all their questions answered at the event.

The firm is advising applicants to apply early. “ln the past number of years there has been increased competition for places on the traineeship from across the region, so we would encourage people who are finishing their studies or those seeking to change careers to apply now and not wait until they have completed their exams,” McVicar told the Engineers Journal.

CMETB traineeships programmes are co-funded by the government and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme of Employability Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020.

For more information and to book your place on this virtual event on Tuesday, March 23, at 7pm, visit www.combilift.com/training