A WEST Cumbrian engineering firm which has nearly doubled its staff since March, is focusing on recruiting more apprentices after the success the company has enjoyed.

LEL Engineering, in Lillyhall, currently has 15 staff of whom three are apprentices.

Operations manager Simon Matthews said the company wanted apprenticeships to play a big role in its growth plans for the future.

Simon said: “The amount of work we’re doing has grown hugely in the last year.

“We’re carrying out significant amounts of work at Sellafield, as well as other locations in the county including BAE Systems, in Barrow. We fully expect this growth to continue in the coming years and we see apprentices as one of the best ways to attract and retain a skilled and dedicated workforce.”

"There's a lot of people retiring in years to come, and these apprentices are our future."

Its three current apprentices are all studying at Gen2; business administration apprentice Meara Burns and Andrew Bulman and Jacob Johnson, who are both mechanical fitters. All three are taking part in level three apprenticeships.

Andrew, who plays as a winger for Whitehaven RLFC when he is not working at LEL, is carrying out his ambition to work in engineering.

The 22-year-old from Moor Row started his apprenticeship in September.

He said: "My dad was an electrical instruments engineer and I've always been interested in it growing up.

“Before I started this I was working in the building trade, but this is really the kind of thing I’ve always wanted to do. I’m enjoying every minute of it so far.

"You end up with a trade and, especially when you’re studying a level three apprenticeship like I am, you have opportunities to go into different areas. You can go onto be a foreman or something like that and it just gives you lots of options.

“I am getting loads of hands-on experience, LEL treat us really well and that’s the foundation you’ve got to have. If you treat people well then they’ll do a good job because they enjoy being here.”