Member Article

Ford's Tyneside apprenticeship scheme set for national roll out

A Tyneside engineering academy is set to become a model for the rest of the UK after its first intake of would-be apprentices all achieved full-time employment.

Semta, which represents 128,000 advanced manufacturing and engineering companies nationwide, is planning to work with Ford Aerospace to share best practice and roll out the academy concept to other regions.

Ford, which incorporates Ford Aerospace Ltd and Ford Component Manufacturing Ltd and is celebrating its 104th birthday this month, employs 160 people across two sites in South Shields and one in North Shields.

The academy was created by Ford’s chairman Geoff Ford MBE and opened in September last year.

Mr Ford said: “My personal ambition is that every borough – starting in the North East – should have its own engineering academy and I will do whatever it takes to work with Semta to make it happen.”

Ford, Quick Hydraulics, Cellpack Solutions, Essentra, Washington Metalworks and Soil Mechanic Dynamics all recruited from the academy having offered each young person a six-week placement – their only commitment – complementing the workshop-based instruction the candidates received from key partners South Tyneside College, which is developing more facilities to attract young people into advanced manufacturing and engineering.

The programme, which provides basic engineering skills, is open to those aged between 16 and 24. Fifteen more young people will begin on March 3 with an intake of 20 planned for September.

At the end of the programme, each is guaranteed an interview with their respective company, giving them the springboard to a full-time apprenticeship or job opportunity.

Mr Ford said: “Recruitment is not just based on qualifications – the three most important attributes we are looking for are attitude, skills and knowledge.

“We had 33 young people with their parents at the launch and 12 were chosen to go to the next stage which they again attended with their parents as it is important they too sign up to the principles.

“Once the programme began, one of the young people did not display the right attitude so was asked to leave – there can be no compromise. I am very proud that the other 11 all achieved either a full-time job or an apprenticeship.

“The firms who took trainees on work placements have spoken extremely highly of them.

“They have said their attitude was first rate, including them being at work on time each day for the six weeks they were with them, and they told me how much these young people had contributed to their businesses.”

The academy helped Ford to be a finalist in the SME Investment in Skills category at the recent Semta Skills Awards.

He said: “You can invest as much as you like in state of the art equipment but you need people to operate and programme it. We need the highest skill level we can possibly attain throughout the company.

“The academy will ensure we have home grown skills for our company, our supply chain and even our competitors. There are no hand-outs or external funding this is all done out of our own pockets showing what can be achieved rather than waiting to be shown what to do.”

Haas Automation, the world’s largest CNC machine tool manufacturer, and Cromwell, a leading provider of cutting tools and industrial supplies, are supporting the academy by providing precision equipment and other backing.

Semta’s chief operating officer, Ann Watson, who visited Ford Aerospace last week, added: “The academy is a brilliant example of how traineeships can and should work. The partnership with other employers, South Tyneside College and the South Tyneside Manufacturing Forum is one which is delivering impressive results.

“Semta is charged with engineering skills for the future and we will be working with Ford to help develop similar academies throughout the UK to ensure the country maintains its reputation as world class in advanced manufacturing and engineering.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .