MAHA Ireland’s apprenticeship pathway revealed with success story

09/06/2025

Eager to find an apprenticeship scheme, Dylan Burns joined from a local college. He stood out as the best candidate from a strong group of aspiring engineers, and, immediately, he made an encouraging start. Six months on, he is thriving; he is learning and forging a reputation among both company peers and customers in Northern Ireland.

In an industry where recruitment, retention and skill development is firmly on the agenda, MAHA Ireland is proud of its record in staff longevity and turnover – but it is also acutely aware of its responsibility to prepare for the future.

With a growing workload and seasoned team of engineers in Lisburn, the timing to recruit an apprentice made sense – and it is a decision that MAHA Ireland Managing Director, Eoin Mallon, and Contracts Manager for DVA, John McClelland, have justified.

John said: “I started out as an apprentice electrician – as did my sons – and while I learned in the classroom, immersing myself in the trade and using the equipment in the real-world made a huge difference. I enjoyed what I was doing. That hands-on start made a big difference – and it is the same for Dylan.

“Our engineers needed support, but instead of employing another fully qualified engineer, we thought it was the appropriate time to find someone that could grow with us.”

Fantastic progress made

Dylan, a mechanical engineering student, attends college one day-a-week and spends the rest of the time with MAHA Ireland – out on the road helping engineers install, calibrate and repair equipment – an experience that should be converted into a permanent position.

John said: “Dylan’s still learning the ropes – but he’s buzzing from that! It’s a fantastic, ‘earn as you learn’ opportunity, one that we all hope will result in him joining us on a full-time basis when he finishes his studies.”

For MAHA Ireland, this is the best outcome; investing time, money and resources without a guaranteed outcome is a risk – but a balanced risk, as John explained: “Even if Dylan didn’t stay long-term, we’d still benefit because he’s a great help now, doing the jobs that support and free-up the time of our engineers – allowing them to complete jobs quicker, which is a win-win for us and the customer.

“We hope the warm welcome, family feel of the company, rewards and incentives, and opportunities to progress will persuade him that his future lies at MAHA Ireland.”

MAHA Ireland believes it has landed a star for the future; it has discovered someone that is eager to learn, bringing fresh ideas to experienced staff and making suggestions that have actually improved operations.

This is the best-case scenario; Dylan and MAHA Ireland’s journey so far shows the positive impact of apprenticeships and how structured, real-world experiences can not only accelerate individual development but also bring immediate value to a business.

For more information about MAHA Ireland, go to www.mahaireland.ie