Jake Hankins was the first apprentice to join the ranks, and for the last year has been trained on a range of different machinery and within all the various areas of the workshop’s operations.

Tom Astle joined Tripod Crest four months’ ago and is relishing the fact that he is learning so much.

Tasks include moving, handling and storing resources, operating plant machinery and many others, as well as completing academic projects along the way as part of their apprenticeship qualification.

Craig Baker, Tripod Crest’s workshop manager who works closely with Jake and Tom, said: “We have been really pleased with both lads. They have done really well.

“They have shown a lot of interest in everything which has been asked of them, along with tremendous enthusiasm, and have participated fully in all of the activities we carry out as a group.”

Craig continued: “We are very pleased that the decision to train apprentices has more than paid off and we have had really good feedback from our customers too.

“We are now looking into the possibility of taking on more apprentices in the future.”