Twelve engineers have completed their apprenticeships with Finning UK & Ireland and moved into field and workshop engineer roles, ready to support the growing demand for skilled construction and data centre projects across the UK.

The apprentices spent four years on Finning's Level 3 programme, specialising in the repair and maintenance of Cat machines, parts and aftermarket services. Their training included work across a variety of sectors, including marine operations in Poole, Electric Power in the South West, Electric Power for Data Centres, and pre-commissioning for large-scale Electric Power projects.

Research from Barbour ABI predicts the number of data centres in the UK will rise from 477 to 577 over the next five years, many of which are privately funded by technology companies such as Google and Microsoft. These projects will require reliable on-site support to ensure smooth operations during construction and ongoing maintenance.

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The new team of Finning-qualified engineers will be deployed across the UK and Ireland, providing critical field and workshop support. Their advanced diagnostic skills and up-to-date knowledge of repair techniques and technologies will help keep machinery running efficiently, ensuring construction schedules remain on track.

Craig Smallman, Engineering Academy Manager at Finning UK & Ireland, said: “Our six new field engineers and six new workshop engineers will be helping to set the pace for these major construction projects. Ensuring productivity and efficiency, they will be instrumental in delivering safe, successful machinery outputs through their work inspecting, installing and repairing equipment. Together they will help the construction industry to keep moving forward and achieve excellence.”

The apprentices’ achievements were recently celebrated, with Matt Smith (Chesterfield), Zander Roberts (Bristol), and Glen Walsh (Dublin) receiving apprentice of the year awards. Finning has also welcomed its 2025 intake, with 24 new apprentices beginning in September.

For more information on Finning’s apprenticeship programme, visit www.finning.com/apprenticeships.