Total People supports Tiger Trailers with bespoke apprenticeship programme to tackle skills shortages

Total People is supporting Tiger Trailers to build its future workforce through a bespoke apprenticeship programme, helping the manufacturer respond to skills shortages and train engineers around real production needs. 
 

The programme launched in September 2025 with an initial cohort of twenty apprentices, marking a significant investment in the company’s future engineering workforce. 

The Cheshire-based trailer manufacturer has developed the bespoke programme with Total People to support long-term skills development within the business, as employers across the engineering sector continue to face recruitment challenges. 

Brendan Jones, Production Onboarding and Training Manager at Tiger Trailers, said: 

Across the business, we were seeing the same issues: an ageing workforce coupled with difficulties recruiting people with the right skills. Apprenticeships have allowed us to bring people in and train them our way.

Rather than using a standard model, Tiger Trailers and Total People have worked together to deliver the Engineering Maintenance Technician apprenticeship in a way that reflects the company’s production environment and day-to-day operations. 

He added: 

We’ve worked closely with Total People to create a programme that fits exactly what we do. What we do isn’t something you can just learn off the shelf, so having a tailored apprenticeship is critical.

Apprentices gain experience across multiple departments, building a broad range of technical skills while learning in a live manufacturing setting. 

The programme is designed to reflect real business needs, with apprentices rotating across teams and developing practical knowledge that supports productivity from an early stage. 

John Williams, Learning Coach at Total People, said:

We’ve created a bespoke delivery model specifically for Tiger Trailers. Everything is designed around their production line and what their apprentices need to succeed.

The programme also includes regular progress reviews, one-to-one support and flexible delivery to help apprentices stay on track throughout their training.

For us, success is seeing apprentices complete their programme and become productive members of the workforce.

For apprentices, the impact has been immediate, with structured on-the-job training helping to build confidence, ability and independence. 

Charlie Taylor, an Engineering Maintenance Technician apprentice, said: 

I didn’t have a clue what I was walking into at the start, but now I’m able to complete tasks on my own. It’s boosted my confidence massively.

It’s been great having that support from the learning coaches. They’re always checking in and helping with anything we need.

Fellow apprentice Kyle Williams said:

They eased us in rather than expecting us to be at the same standard straight away. That’s helped build confidence with tools and working as part of a team.

Both apprentices highlighted the value of learning through practical experience while contributing to real production activity from the outset. 

Tiger Trailers says the apprenticeship programme is also having a wider impact across the business, creating new progression opportunities and encouraging more people to consider careers in engineering. 

Jones added:

It’s creating a really positive environment. We’re seeing people recommend the programme to friends and family, which shows we’re doing something right.

The initiative is helping bring new perspectives into the workplace while supporting the company’s long-term skills pipeline.

With the programme now established, Tiger Trailers sees apprenticeships as an important part of its future workforce strategy. 

By working with Total People to deliver tailored training, the business is addressing immediate recruitment challenges while investing in the skills it will need in the years ahead.