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Equipment donation to help train apprentices
GSK donation: Pictured with the equipment are (from left) GE Oil & Gas apprentices Jamie Grimbley and Greg Reid, Angus Training Group workshop manager Gary Talgert, training group instructor Ron Henry and GSK apprentices Connor Young and Grant Forsyth. Contributed photograph
GLAXOSMITHKLINE (GSK) has offered support for the workforce of tomorrow by donating training equipment to the Angus Training Group.
The Arbroath-based group trains first year apprentices for many companies in Angus, including GSK, and appealed recently for old items of equipment that could be used as training pieces.
Mel Robertson, GSK’s engineering team manager, approached the Montrose site’s engineering stores which were being cleared out and a range of redundant spares being disposed of. This included some pumps, electrical apparatus and instrumentation calibration equipment, but the main item was a skid-mounted fridge compressor. The unit was recently removed from plant having seen service for more than 20 years, but was still in very good condition.
Some of the older GSK apprentices helped select items for their younger counterparts to use, as well as helping to transporting the equipment from the Montrose site to Arbroath.
Mr Robertson said: “Angus Training Group do a fantastic job with the young kids, but most of their electrical equipment is for domestic and non-hazardous area use and is based on single phase motors. Whilst this gives our apprentices a broad training experience, it does not reflect the type of equipment they will face when they return to site for their second year.
“The fridge unit is a great piece of kit to work on as it has mechanical, electrical and instrument elements all combined together. We previously donated a fridge more than 10 years ago now and I know they have had a lot of use from it – but it is starting to fail so this replacement is very timely.
“This is really a win-win situation as not only have we cleared from the site some redundant spares, in the process we have enhanced the training of our own apprentices allowing them to work on equipment similar to what they will encounter when they return to site.”
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Weather for Montrose
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
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Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
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