Case Studies
EMPLOYER
KGD Industrial Services, which manufactures specialist equipment for the offshore oil industry, was started by Ken Davies in 1982. Ken, who began his career as a technician apprentice with Denco Farval, has remained the principal owner of the company and is a great supporter of work-based training, which he believes gives individuals in-depth skills and a bigger interest in the job. The majority of the staff at KGD now occupying the manufacturing, design and management positions were trained this way.
Ken is one of the longest serving members of HGTA’s Executive Committee and his advice to young people starting a career in engineering is “enjoy it, be inquisitive and absorb all the information you can because you never know when it will be useful”.
EMPLOYEE
Matthew Price is employed by KGD Industrial Services as a Project Design Engineer. He went to Fairfield High School where he achieved 10 GCSEs grades A-C and a distinction in GNVQ Engineering. During his apprenticeship, Matthew gained a Higher National Certificate in Engineering, NVQ level 3 in Technical Services and level 3 Key Skills. He also gained awards from his local College of Technology on completion of his HNC as being the most improved student, at HGTA as Senior Technical Apprentice of the Year and an Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) Award. Matthew has been involved in many large complex projects with his company including the design and construction of a crude oil treatment plant destined for off-shore China.
Chris Barker, Head Teacher at Fairfield High School, said “Matthew’s potential and interests were stretched at school through the new curriculum development which meant he was able to pursue something not on the national curriculum. He was an outstanding pupil who has gone on to be an outstanding young man.”
EMPLOYER
As a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance gearboxes for industrial and marine applications, Allen Gears has built a reputation for engineering excellence founded on the experience and skill of its people.
The apprenticeship programme enables the company to train and develop young people in-house to work in critical areas where there is a shortage of skills.
Julie Howells, HR Manager, comments “Here at Allen Gears, we consider our apprentices to be an important and integral part of the Company. Many of our craftsmen and engineers have started out with us as apprentices. Allen Gears has a dedicated commitment to the apprenticeship programme, and indeed to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Group Training. Together, we will continue to strengthen the company’s indisputable world class engineering reputation.”
EMPLOYEE
Nick Bates attended Pershore High School, leaving at 16 with 10 GCSEs A-C, and joined Allen Gears as Technical Apprentice Engineer. He gained an NVQ level 3 in Technical Services and is in his final year of HNC in Mechanical Engineering.
Nick says “I have really enjoyed the experience. The structured training programme has taught me all about the different aspects of engineering from the bottom to the top and I can now use all my experience in my role as a Design Engineer. WGTA has been a great help getting me through my NVQ level 3, Key Skills and College work.”
Allen Gears are now paying for Nick’s continued education at University where is doing a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering via day-release.
EMPLOYER
Dytecna, formed in 1947, is an independent engineering company providing through life support solutions, engineering design and development, manufacturing and installation. One of its 4 locations is in Malvern where its advanced apprenticeship programme is run in partnership with HGTA.
Helen Easterbrook, PR Executive, says “Apprenticeships are very important to the company and we like to take 2 apprentices every year on either the craft or technician programme. All our apprentices then spend their first year at the Training Centre of either HGTA or WGTA.”
EMPLOYEE
Josh Cole achieved 11 GCSEs, 3 A levels and an AS level after attending the Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School and Hereford Sixth Form College. He applied to HGTA as his chosen career move, rather than University, and was subsequently introduced to Dytecna that employed him as an Advanced Apprentice.
“The company has given me so many opportunities and a wide range of skills” says Josh, “ I have worked in the production and installation areas, working on a variety of products from simple things such as building cables to installing advanced communications units on military vehicles.”
He is currently attending College for his Higher National Certificate in Electrical Engineering and in his own time is adding top-up units for an HND. He is also working towards a Technical Support NVQ level 3, his specialisation being Computer Aided Design.
Josh added “I am always encouraged to better myself and increase the rate at which I move through my career. Dytecna gives you the option to progress; you just have to choose how far you want to go.”
