It’s National Apprenticeship Week, so to celebrate we’re shining a spotlight on how we’re supporting and inspiring the next generation of lift industry experts.
National Apprenticeship Week (Monday 9th – Sunday 15th February) is an annual event that highlights apprentices across the country and the long-term contribution they make to businesses and local communities. This year’s theme, Skills for Life, is a reminder of how valuable apprenticeships are in helping to shape future skills, and provide the foundations needed for the next generation of talent to succeed.
At ILE, we’re committed to supporting and championing apprentices by offering a variety of opportunities within our manufacturing and design hubs. Working with colleges in Leicester and Keighley, we’re focused on providing an environment that empowers people to thrive and achieve their qualifications alongside gaining practical on-the-job experience.
Why lift industry apprenticeships matter
Apprenticeships are all about building a pipeline for talent, which is critical across UK construction and engineering sectors (including lift installation and maintenance).
According to Research and Markets, around 62% of organisations find it difficult to recruit people with the right skills and there’s a need for at least 225,000 additional workers by 2027. This coupled with an ageing workforce means it’s more important than ever to train the younger generation and provide them with the skills needed to address shortages.
Investing in apprenticeships within the lift industry is critical for driving long-term safety and innovation across key infrastructure; keeping buildings, transport hubs, residential blocks, and care facilities functioning safely and smoothly.
Apprenticeships at ILE
Our apprentices gain experience through hands-on skills as well as peer learning. We currently have apprentices working across multiple departments including PCB, electrical and design. No matter where they are working, all of our apprentices are empowered to learn new skills across various areas of the business. And we know apprenticeships aren’t a one-size-fits-all; everyone has a different experience at work so we aim to give each student the best opportunity to explore areas where they can learn and develop.
Learning Skills for Life
Acer Kapadia started as an apprentice at ILE in September 2025, joining as a Engineering Design Technician Apprentice:
“I decided to join ILE because I wanted to work in the engineering industry because I was interested in how things work and I wanted to develop my practical and design skills, as well as gain a qualification. I was also interested in how lifts work and how it includes mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing engineering, and ILE gave me the opportunity to be involved in designing and manufacturing whilst learning from experienced engineers.”
Acer explains every day is different, and highlights how learning something new is one of the best parts of the job:
“A typical day involves designing parts for lifts on CAD according to the job’s needs, learning how lift components are produced and assembled, and working and creating engineering drawings. I also spend time developing my CAD and practical skills, and learning from experienced staff.
I learn something new every day, whether it’s about manufacturing processes, engineering drawings, or how lift systems operate. I like being able to see how the parts me and my colleagues are designed, manufactured, and are used on various sites.
My goal is to become a fully qualified engineer with strong practical skills and design ability. As well as that, I want to continue developing my knowledge of lift/engineering systems, become fully qualified in CAD and gain more responsibility at work.”
Join the next generation of lift talent
An apprenticeship at ILE provides an opportunity to learn the latest skills to develop your career, both now and in the future. If you’d like to hear more about our opportunities, contact us for more information.
