College of West Anglia apprentices visit Wisbech firm TVS Interfleet

Apprentices from the College of West Anglia’s Wisbech Campus enjoyed a visit to learn what one long-established Wisbech firm has to offer.

The 21 apprentices visited TVS Interfleet for a tour of the site in Enterprise Way and presentations by department heads on all aspects of our production process.

TVS Interfleet has a proud history of giving apprentices the opportunity to work for the company, with several long-standing managers and engineers having started their careers at the local college, and it's this connection to young talent in the area that has provided the life-blood of its workforce for nearly 30 years.

Kris Feaviour, who leads the apprentice programme and recruitment at TVS said: “It’s so important that local talent has a pathway from college into the workplace, and here at TVS we can offer apprentices the chance to develop their skill sets in an industry-leading setting.

“My role is to ensure we give any new employee the chance to grow their engineering knowledge in line with their ambition and to ensure we have a workforce fit for the challenges of the modern world and the shortage of skilled staff nationally in our sector.

“What better way to do that than to engage local talent while they’re at college and give them the chance to see what we can do for them, and how they can nurture their skills with us.

“As an employer we offer a superb benefits package alongside our training, meaning employees have both their physical and mental health supported while in the workplace and the unique opportunity to become a specialist in their field.

“This offering is what attracts many members of staff to us, and cements the business's commitment to supporting its apprentices through their transition into the world of full-time work.”

Darren Freeman, course director and engineering lecturer for the Level 2 Engineering course said: "The College of West Anglia's full-time engineering students recently enjoyed an insightful and engaging factory tour at TVS Interfleet in Wisbech.

“The visit provided a valuable opportunity for the students to witness real-world applications of engineering principles and gain a deeper understanding of the industry.

“TVS's expert talks further enriched the students' knowledge, offering firsthand insight into the challenges and innovations driving modern engineering practices."

As a large local employer, with 150 staff employed in the town and 300 employed nationally, TVS is one of the few businesses left in the area that provides apprentices a route into a niche market and the chance to work on a variety of products used by household names such as Tesco and BT Openreach.

As one of the leading players in their sector, TVS continues to grow and lead innovation in new markets, including new product development in the Electric Commercial Vehicle market.