Mitsubishi Electric is launching a national apprenticeship scheme to train air conditioning engineers of the future.

The initiative is being run in conjunction with 24 of the company’s air conditioning partners, enabling the programme to appeal for new recruits nationwide.

Steve Hayward, technical services and after sales manager, said: “As this is the first year of our new National Apprenticeship Programme, we will be recruiting around 35 apprentices and with our partners, this will cover almost the whole of the UK, from Glasgow to Southampton.”

The company plans to recruit even more partners to increase the number and help ensure the programme continues to bring new blood into the industry.

Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock said: “We want it to be the new norm for young people to choose to either go to university or begin an apprenticeship. So it’s great that Mitsubishi Electric has announced these new Apprenticeship vacancies. I would encourage other employers to follow Mitsubishi Electric’s lead and use Apprenticeships as an opportunity to grow their own talent and improve the skills base of their workforce.”

The scheme is being co-ordinated by Building Engineering Services Training (BEST) with the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and all organisations will be focused on outbound communications to raise awareness of the apprenticeships roles that the scheme offers to school leavers.

BEST chief operations officer Steve Leighton said: “We are delighted to work on a national scale with such a significant industry player as Mitsubishi Electric. The response from Mitsubishi Electric’s partners has been superb and these companies recognise the value that a skilled, qualified workforce adds to their business.”

Anyone interested in participating in Mitsubishi’s apprenticeship programme should visit the Vacancies section at http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/ and search using the keyword ‘Mitsubishi’ and their location to find opportunities in their area.