National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2026: Meet the People Behind Dale Power Solutions
As part of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2026, we’re celebrating how apprenticeships help build long-term careers at Dale Power Solutions. Across engineering, manufacturing, finance, and operations, apprenticeship pathways provide hands-on experience, professional development, and progression opportunities throughout the business.
Below, we share three career journeys that demonstrate the real impact of apprenticeships within our business.
Samantha Messruther, Industrial Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Sales Manager at Dale Power Solutions, is approaching an impressive 10 years with the business after starting as a Higher Level (Level 4) HNC Engineering Apprentice from college. While she had always enjoyed maths and science throughout her education, Sam was ready to step away from full-time study and into the workplace. Her apprenticeship with Dale Power Solutions allowed her to continue learning while gaining hands-on experience, where she later progressed to Degree Level (Level 6), graduating in 2021.
As part of her apprenticeship, Sam completed a rotational programme across the engineering departments, giving her a broad understanding of the business and its technical capabilities. One standout achievement during this time was producing and presenting a feasibility study for a new containerised UPS product to the company board. Her commitment and capability were recognised in 2019, when she was awarded Young Woman Apprentice of the Year in the Engineering category.
After settling into applications engineering, Sam began seeking a more customer-facing role in 2024. She now works as Industrial UPS Sales Manager, a position that combines her technical background with customer engagement. Industrial UPS is a highly niche field, and Sam’s background enables her to guide customers through the sales process.
Reflecting on her journey, Sam highlights how important it is to find the right apprenticeship path. She notes the clear benefits of entering work straight from college, including avoiding student debt and being able to get onto the property ladder earlier. Sam sees engineering as especially well-suited to apprenticeships, where hands-on technical experience and real-world problem-solving are just as valuable as academic learning.
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Graham Taylor, Head of Operations at Dale Power Solutions, is approaching 20 years with the business after joining as a trainee accountant. He began his career pursuing a Chartered Accountancy qualification through CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), which has a strong business and commercial foundation. While Graham initially trained within a more traditional accountancy firm, he was keen to apply his knowledge more practically within a manufacturing environment, which led him to Dale Power Solutions.
Graham joined the business during a period of major transition, as the former Dale site in Gristhorpe, Filey merged into the current Eastfield facility, where Erskine was based. This created complex accountancy challenges that exposed him to every aspect of finance within a large manufacturing organisation. Shortly after joining, Graham’s recruitment manager left, requiring him to step up quickly and immerse himself fully in the role. During this time, he began focusing on IT systems and process automation, helping move the business away from manual processes and becoming involved in reviewing IT workflows across the organisation.
After completing his CIMA qualification to Level 7 (Master’s equivalent), Graham progressed into the role of Commercial Manager, his first leadership position. Over five years, he oversaw the quotations and applications teams, managed order processes across all product lines, and worked closely with the Operations Director at the time to integrate front-end sales activity with operational delivery. This role provided Graham with valuable experience in team leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and end-to-end business operations.
In 2021, during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Graham was appointed Head of Operations, a role he took on driven by the trust and relationships he had built across the business. He went on to play a major role in re-establishing Dale Power Solutions as a generator manufacturer with the launch of Factory 2 in 2022. Reflecting on his journey, Graham credits CIMA with giving him a strong business foundation and highlights opportunities such as international travel to Mexico as key experiences that shaped his career, reinforcing the long-term value of qualification-led pathways.
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Pictured: Matthew King (left) receiving his apprenticeship award from CEO, Gavin Gepburn (right)
Matthew King joined Dale Power Solutions in 2021 after studying at Scarborough UTC, starting his career on a Level 2 and Level 3 Engineering Apprenticeship. From the outset, Matt completed a rotational programme across the manufacturing shopfloor, battery testing, and the UPS test area, giving him a strong hands-on foundation and exposure to multiple aspects of the business.
During his apprenticeship, Matt chose to progress into the service side of the organisation, specialising in Industrial UPS installation, while also supporting commercial systems when required. He enjoys the freedom that service work offers, particularly getting out into the field, seeing UPS systems operating in real-world environments, and interacting directly with customers.
Matt has recently started his Level 4 (HNC) qualification to continue to develop his technical skills alongside his role. In recognition of his hard work, dedication, and positive attitude, Matt was awarded our Lindley Apprentice of the Year Award 2025. Reflecting on his journey so far, he sees apprenticeships at Dale Power Solutions as an excellent training pathway and a valuable stepping stone into a long-term engineering career within the business.
These stories highlight the value of apprenticeships in developing talent, specialist skills, and future leaders at Dale Power Solutions. From starting straight from school or college to progressing into senior roles, apprenticeships continue to play a key role in supporting individual growth and strengthening our business for the future.
Apply for engineering apprenticeships on our website or contact hr@dalepowersolutions to enquire about other apprenticeship courses.
