MORE than 50 staff are due to retire from the Department of Infrastructure's operations division in the next five years.

This was revealed as the division announced it will be recruiting nine apprentices and trainees this year.

A statement from the division said: "The operations division is going through a significant period of change as it seeks to modernise its outdated structures, delivery processes and skills.

"Today, and increasingly into the future, the division provides a pool of engineering knowledge and high-level practical skills that develop and maintain the government’s strategic infrastructure.

"The division needs energetic and intelligent trainees who will learn craft level skills from senior members of the team and supplement their practical skills with a formal engineering education.

"Through this period of modernisation and realignment the division will become leaner and more focused on core service delivery, however, over the next five years more than 50 people will retire from the division taking with them a lifetime of skills.

"Before they go, we need them to pass their skills on to the next generation. With an average age profile of 46 years this investment in training opportunities for young people comes as a positive commitment to the future by the political members of the department."

Graham Cregeen MHK, political member with responsibility for the operations division, said: "The creation of these training places represents a fantastic opportunity for some of our young people to get a first class start to their careers.

"The operations division has demonstrated that its employees can develop and progress to the highest levels. For those that want and are able, a clear career path exists that can take these trainees through the widest range of skills and to the highest levels of engineering.

"Only last week we were celebrating the success of one of our employees obtaining his first class honours degree."

The division is recruiting five civil engineering skills trainees, one apprentice electronic technician, an apprentice hydraulic/mechanical technician, an electrician and an apprentice vehicle fitter.

These apprentices will initially undertake a three-year training programme, which will include tuition at the Isle of Man College.

Opportunities will be advertised in the local press and at the Isle of Man College over the coming months.