Industry marks Apprenticeship Week

(by Karma Loveday)

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2026, and to support recruitment of 5,000 apprentices by 2030, the water industry took time last week to highlight the opportunities available to train in the sector. Some examples were:

• Water UK told personal stories of those training in engineering, human resources, data science roles and many more, at water companies across the country. 

• United Utilities hosted water minister Emma Hardy on a tour of its technical training academy in Bolton, which has trained more than 400 people in its ten years. The company also joined forces with Preston College to raise awareness of how plumbing skills, sustainable practices, and environmental responsibility connect to wider water and wastewater management and infrastructure priorities in the region. 

• Anglian Water opened applications for 130 roles — the largest pool ever offered by the company, and more than double last year’s intake. The roles available included for data analysts, tanker drivers and field-based operational technicians. 

• Southern Water said is looking to take on more than 90 graduates and apprentices before the end of 2026 — three times last year’s total.