Chris Burton of Tony Gee and Partners has been elected chair of the Technical Apprenticeship Consortium (TAC).

Founded to bring together engineering consultancy firms to enable them to meet their business needs through the recruitment and training of technician apprentices, the consortium – supported by clients, professional consulting firms and managed by ACE – has enabled more than 1,500 placements since its formation in 2010 and now offers six qualifications across rail design, civil engineering, building services engineering and transport design.

Commenting on his election, new TAC chair Chris Burton said: “The development of engineers and technicians has long been a personal passion of mine. The consortium will continue its vital role in nurturing a talent pipeline, encouraging a wider pool of people to enter the industry and increasing the opportunities for young people at our member companies. I can’t wait to get started.”

Welcoming his appointment, Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE said, “The increased demands on skills and capacity to deliver the future project pipeline, coupled with the government’s apprenticeship levy scheme, ensures that the TAC is a fantastic opportunity for professional firms and educational stakeholders. As well as improving the sector’s productivity, it will secure the transformational skills required to meet the new Construction Sector Deal.”

Chris replaces previous chair Graham Nicholson, also of Tony Gee and Partners.

Further information on the programme can be found at the dedicated website. Alternatively, email TAC account manager Kimberly Murphy with any queries on the consortium and its work.