Stannah, the iconic lift company headquartered in Andover, has launched a major nationwide apprentice recruitment initiative aimed at tackling the UK’s engineering skills shortage.
More than 100 shortlisted candidates are expected to take part – ranging from school leavers to career changers – in what the company describes as its largest apprentice drive to date.
Throughout May and June, the family-run business will be hosting a series of lift and escalator apprentice assessment days at Stannah branches and customer sites across the UK.
The move is part of Stannah’s continued investment in young talent and local communities, with over 20 new apprentices set to join the business in September 2025 — a rise on last year’s intake.
Founded more than 150 years ago and still proudly based in Andover, Stannah is a key employer in the region. Its latest push to bring in new talent reflects both local and national priorities to support technical careers and address post-Covid recruitment gaps.
Dan White, Service Director at Stannah, said:
“Apprenticeships are central to our success. They bring in fresh perspectives, energy and talent, and help us ensure we’re building the right skillsets for the future. These assessment days are an important part of finding and supporting the engineers of tomorrow – people who will go on to make a real difference.”
The assessment days will offer candidates hands-on experiences at Stannah sites and customer locations, giving them a clear view of life as a lift or escalator engineer.
Loren Moody, Talent Acquisition Lead at Stannah, added:
“We’ve had an overwhelming response from applicants across the UK. It’s exciting to be hosting these events not only at our branches but also in partnership with customers – showing real-world locations where apprentices will one day be working.”
With more than 300,000 lifts and escalators in operation across the UK and a projected industry value of £3.6 billion by 2026, the need for skilled engineers is more pressing than ever. According to the Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA), over four million people use these systems every day.
Stannah’s apprenticeship programme blends mechanical, electrical, and problem-solving skills in a role that’s hands-on, technically diverse and vital to UK infrastructure. Many of the company’s long-serving engineers have retired after more than 25 years with the business — testament to both the career opportunities available and Stannah’s continued commitment to its team.