27th Oct 2025
4 mins
News
RSE Invests in Next Generation of Water Engineers – welcoming career changers and school leavers
RSE is delighted to have recently welcomed 29 new apprentices to our teams, as we continue to bridge the engineering skills shortage by investing in upcoming talent.
The latest cohort of apprentices are aged 17 to 42 and will combine on-the-job training and mentoring with formalised college learning, equipping them with the necessary skills and qualifications they need to have a successful career in the water industry.
Changing career can feel daunting, but after 25 years in the retail sector I knew it was time to make a change and find a career which is well paid and has a sustainable future.
George Main is one of the electrical apprentices joining RSE this year after he was made redundant from his previous job working in retail. Drawn to RSE’s strong reputation in the Highlands, he was eager to learn new practical skills and pursue a career that offered a future security for him and his family.
He said: “Changing career can feel daunting, but after 25 years in the retail sector I knew it was time to make a change and find a career which is well paid and has a sustainable future. It took a bit of courage to jump, but it’s definitely worth it.
“RSE has a great reputation and is a great success story in the Highlands, so when applications opened it was a no brainer – and they decided to take a chance on a 42-year-old with no previous industry experience.
“I’m right at the beginning of my journey, but RSE has been incredible. There is an attitude that no question is a stupid question and the learning environment has been great.
“I know I’ve made the right decision for myself and my family. I come home happy and already feel real satisfaction in what I’m doing.”
Based across Muir of Ord, Dalgety Bay, Cumbernauld, and Basingstoke, apprentices will combine on-the-job training and mentoring with formalised college learning, equipping them with the necessary skills and qualifications they need to have a successful career in the water industry.
Recognising a skills gap in the industry for Controls and Instrumentation technicians, RSE has, for the first time, welcomed an apprentice in this field to address this shortage. This comes as RSE have also started the uptake of multiskilled apprentices, who are versatile and adaptable to their different maintenance work projects.
It’s still a male-dominated industry, but RSE has been fantastic in creating an environment where, once people see your enthusiasm and capability, you’re treated as a valued member of the team.
Katie Munro, 24, is in her final year of her electrical apprenticeship and is set to sit her final exams at the end of the month.
She said: “My apprenticeship with RSE has helped me grow in both confidence and ability. I’ve gained valuable hands-on experience across a range of projects, learning from skilled electricians and engineers. It’s also given me a real sense of teamwork and pride in contributing to projects that make a difference to communities across the UK.
“I would absolutely encourage others, particularly women, to consider an apprenticeship in engineering. It can feel a little daunting at first as it’s still a male-dominated industry, but RSE has been fantastic in creating an environment where, once people see your enthusiasm and capability, you’re treated as a valued member of the team.”
An RSE Apprentice Training Officer works alongside the apprentices to provide support throughout the duration of the apprenticeship programme, including college work and assessments, gaining experience, training qualifications and their welfare and personal development.
Mike Campbell, Apprenticeship Training Officer at RSE, said: “The only sustainable way to address the engineering skills shortage is to invest in apprenticeships and develop your own workforce talent, rather than rely on the limited pool that currently exists.
“At RSE, we’re dedicated to finding and developing new engineering talent – from school leavers taking their first step into the industry to those retraining for a new career. We also place a strong emphasis on encouraging our people to grow and progress as our business continues to expand. By investing in people, we’re not just building careers but securing the future skills our industry depends on.”
Stephen Slessor, CEO of RSE, said: “Many of these apprentices will tackle large-scale challenges in our sector as the core of a critical engineering workforce. They will innovate and advance the resilient infrastructure we all need, for generations to come.”
