CRJ Apprenticeships: Investing in the future

With special consideration for National Apprentice Week (9-15 February 2026), we are shining a spotlight on our own CRJ apprentices while highlighting the importance of apprenticeships within the waste processing, recycling and forestry industries.

At CRJ, investing in people has always been just as important as investing in machinery. Since 2021, we have been working with Reaseheath College in Nantwich, Cheshire, to provide top-notch training, both in an educational setting and in the workplace. Over the three-year block release course, each apprentice has the chance to develop the essential skills needed to become a qualified heavy plant mechanic, all while being mentored by the CRJ team of experienced and highly skilled engineers.

Our apprentices earn while working towards a qualification and gain valuable experience from our talented mentors. Learning in a real-world setting lets them put their skills to the test and build confidence in their career development.

Learning from the best

Behind every successful apprenticeship is strong guidance, and at CRJ Services that support has been led our apprentice mentors. Completing a Heavy Plant Mechanic Apprenticeship is no small achievement. It requires resilience, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt in a fast-paced, hands-on industry.

Many apprentices come straight from school, this could be their first job, and for others an apprenticeship could be a pathway to a new career, so having a mentor to support, guide and help navigate unfamiliar challenges is very important.

“It’s crucial for the apprentices to have a mentor, to enhance the learning experience, boost confidence and to support them throughout their apprenticeship.”

Tony Sheen

CRJ Senior Engineer & Apprentice Mentor

Meet our apprentices

We currently have six apprentices progressing through their training. We caught up with a couple of them, both current and successful, to get a feel for what it’s like to be an apprentice at CRJ.

Matthew Williams  |  1st year Heavy Plant Mechanic Apprentice

How would you advise yourself as a 16 yr old?

“I actually went to Uni after leaving college to do Aeronautical Engineering, but realised it just wasn’t for me. So speaking from experience, I would suggest – find an apprenticeship as an option instead of only considering uni, you’re getting paid while learning and gaining hands on experience that you wouldn’t normally get, as opposed to studying just the theory.”

Darcy Smith  |  1st year Heavy Plant Mechanic Apprentice

How did you find out about the CRJ apprenticeship program?

“I’m quite old school in my approach. Once I saw the advert online, I decided to swing past CRJ on a Saturday. I happened to meet Rob Symons, who was incredibly down to earth and thanked me for showing an interest. Rob passed my CV onto Ali, and so the process was started, and here I am.”

Dylan Mathers  |  2nd year Heavy Plant Mechanic Apprentice

What has been your favourite task or project during your apprenticeship so far?

“Assisting in the production of custom guards for our key account customer BIFFA on the HAAS Tyron 2000XL 2.0 has been a real highlight of my training. I thoroughly enjoyed the job as it taught me valuable fabricating skills, as this job required a lot of precision. Biffa were very happy with the result.”

Shiu Lau  |  Heavy Plant Mechanic Apprentice Graduate

As of December 2025, Shiu has officially completed her Heavy Plant Mechanic Apprenticeship at CRJ. Throughout her apprenticeship, Shiu has shown real commitment, determination, and a genuine passion for engineering.

What’s been the highlight of your apprenticeship so far?

“I recently finished a pre-delivery check on a Kiverco picking station, working on the machinery myself. This was a chance to put to use the skills I’ve picked up over the past three years at CRJ. Now, I’m aiming to become a maintenance technician, so I’m really looking forward to using everything I’ve learned from my apprenticeship to achieve that.”

Interested in applying?

Our apprentices, both past and present, have truly enriched CRJ and made a positive difference to everyone—the people, the business and the wider economy. By welcoming people of all ages into our training programmes, we are already addressing important engineering skill shortages in the UK. We are also exploring ways to reacheven more young people. Stay tuned on social media for more updates!

Our apprentice intake occurs in the autumn, annually. Applicants will be invited to CRJ for an interview with our engineering team, as well as complete remote assessments with Reaseheath College. Interested in applying, contact us today?