Tiro Training

02/09/2026

Apprenticeship funding changes from August 2026 - and for growing industrial science businesses, they open up real capacity to build technical teams.

You don't need to become an expert on funding policy to benefit from it. Tiro acts as your apprenticeship training and advisory partner, managing your funding setup, optimising Levy accounts and capturing National Insurance savings so your team can focus on scale, quality and output.

Find out exactly how the changes affect your next hiring cohort. Read our August guide here:
https://tiro.co.uk/?post_type=news&p=20417&preview=true

31/08/2026

The most valuable asset in your lab isn't UKAS accredited.

It's the unwritten knowledge in your longest-serving technician's head. Which sites drain badly. Which supplier's aggregate runs wet. Why that spec has a pencil note beside it.

None of that lives in a method statement, and all of it walks out the door when they retire.

Apprenticeships aren't just for entry-level hiring: they're the most effective formal structure for transferring decades of institutional expertise into the next generation before it's too late.

At Tiro, we partner with you to build a structured talent pipeline that protects your business's tacit knowledge.

Protect your lab’s tacit knowledge. Talk to Tiro: 🔗 https://tiro.co.uk/

28/08/2026

🔬 Building a skilled team in industrial science sectors is vital so deciphering the latest government funding updates shouldn't take up your week.

📣 Major changes launched this August, including 100% government-funded training for 16 to 24-year-olds across businesses large and small.

At Tiro, we make sure you reap the rewards without the red tape. We manage the funding setup, track your eligibility for incentives and guide your teams through compliance.

🤝 Tiro acts as your apprenticeship training and advisory partner, managing funding compliance so your business can focus on innovation.

🔗 Read our straightforward breakdown on the Resource Hub: https://tiro.ac.uk/about-us/news-and-events/august-2026-apprenticeship-funding-updates/

27/08/2026

One finding from the British Plastics Federation's latest member survey stands out: industry perception remains a key barrier to recruiting younger workers.

Plenty of people who would thrive in a polymer lab simply don't know these roles exist.

You can't fix a talent pipeline by advertising in October for a September intake.

You fix it by becoming visible to potential technicians long before you need them on the plant floor.

Smart polymer processors don't recruit reactively. They build the pipeline early.

Explore live polymer processing and manufacturing vacancies here: 🔗 https://tiro.co.uk/apprenticeships/current-vacancies/employment-type/apprentice/

26/08/2026

Clearing isn't the only option.

If your A-Level results weren't what you planned, you don't have to settle for a backup degree.

There is a direct route that puts you in a working lab within weeks: earning a real salary, mastering technical equipment, and building a career without university debt.

Materials testing. Polymer processing. Asbestos analysis. Cosmetic formulation.

These are hands-on roles with ambitious employers, built for people who’d rather do the science than just read about it.

Take control of your next step. Explore live vacancies on our site now.

🔗 https://tiro.co.uk/

20/08/2026

Results season is in full swing.

As college and A-Level leavers weigh up their next steps, employers have a real opportunity to position themselves as an employer of choice for the talent looking beyond university.

Some of the sharpest, most determined talent wants to get straight to work - earning a salary, getting their hands dirty, mastering real science on the job and taking on actual responsibility in a working lab.

Industrial science apprenticeships aren't just an alternative pathway - they are a direct line to hungry, loyal technicians trained specifically to your operational standards, from day one.

The labs that win that talent aren't waiting around for rigid degree cycles. They're onboarding skilled tech apprentices whenever their business needs them and building their future workforce from the ground up.

As the leading specialist in industrial science apprenticeships, we’ve been helping ambitious labs tap into future talent since 2005.

Ready to lead the pipeline? 🔗 https://tiro.co.uk/

14/07/2026

Last week we attended UCL Technical Showcase 2026, UCL200 Special Edition, an event celebrating the contribution technical professionals make across higher education, research and innovation.

It was a great opportunity to hear from people working across technical roles and to reflect on the skills, knowledge and experience that sit behind so much important progress.

For many people, technical careers can open the door to meaningful work, long-term development and the chance to be part of something that has real impact.

For employers, it is also a reminder that the future workforce will depend on clear routes into these roles, better visibility of the opportunities available and continued investment in skills development.

Thank you to UCL for hosting such an insightful event.

13/07/2026

The net zero agenda is putting real demands on polymer processing businesses and the people who run them.

Transitioning to recycled or bio-based materials sounds straightforward in a sustainability strategy document. On the production floor, it means managing inconsistent feedstocks, revalidating processes and solving problems that even experienced technicians haven't always encountered before.

That's why training matters more than ever right now.

Our polymer processing apprenticeships give technicians the knowledge and practical skills to handle these challenges confidently. Because sustainable manufacturing needs a skilled workforce behind it, not just good intentions.

Is your business investing in training as part of your net zero strategy? We'd love to hear how you're approaching it.

10/07/2026

Rising energy costs are one of the biggest challenges facing polymer processors right now. And while businesses are rightly looking at machinery upgrades and scheduling changes, there's another lever that often gets overlooked.

Skilled technicians make a measurable difference to energy efficiency. They optimise cycle times, reduce scrap, set up processes correctly and spot the early signs of drift before it causes costly waste. All of that adds up.

Our apprenticeship programme develops polymer processing technicians who understand their processes deeply enough to run them well. And in the current cost environment, that expertise is worth a great deal.

If your business is looking for ways to improve efficiency and you'd like to know more about how apprenticeship training could help, get in touch or drop us a message below.

01/07/2026

The disruption to petrochemical supply chains coming out of the conflict in Iran is a reminder of something the polymer processing industry has learned several times over in recent years. Resilience matters enormously.

And resilience isn't just about having the right supplier relationships or buffer stock. It's about having technicians who understand their materials well enough to adapt when circumstances change. People who can evaluate an alternative grade, adjust parameters and maintain quality without losing weeks to trial and error.

That kind of knowledge is built through proper training.

Our apprenticeship programme develops polymer processing technicians with genuine material understanding and practical problem-solving skills. If your business needs a more adaptable technical workforce, we'd love to talk.

Contact us via http://tiro.co.uk

Tiro Training is the UK's leading training provider, building the talent that powers Industrial-Science.