Member Article

Northumberland Development Company create jobs for 100 apprentices

Blyth engineering business, Tharsus, has created five apprenticeships, allowing the Northumberland Development Company, Arch, to reach its target of helping 100 young people become apprentices.

Tharsus, who have 170 staff, has used the funding from Arch to create seven jobs in engineering, and technical skills, but this also assisted them to develop their own training academy.

To date, Tharsus have recruited five students to join their existing team of ten apprentices who will learn about health and safety, as well as basic electrical and mechanical skills.

Tharsus was established 50 years ago and has been under the leadership of CEO Brian Palmer since 2003 who transformed the business from a sheet metal fabricator to an Original Equipment Design and Manufacture (OEDM).

Each year the company grows by around 20% in business and employee terms. currently exporting over 40% of its business overseas.

Arch has been established by Northumberland County Council as an arms-length development company to drive capital economic development, physical regeneration projects and business growth in Northumberland.

Altogether, Arch encompasses five subsidiary companies delivering services in housing, commercial property, physical regeneration, digital transformation and business growth.

Brian said: “We are looking to expand into new marketplaces and needed to have more support at apprenticeship level so the Arch funding has been perfect for us.

“Through its help we have been able to create our Academy which allows us the flexibility and freedom to train our young employees in our company ethos and also employ them straight after they leave school, rather than wait until September.”

Arch chair and deputy leader of Northumberland City Council, cllr Dave Ledger, said: “The growth of Tharsus in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal.

“We are delighted this cutting edge Northumberland business has helped us hit our 100th apprentice target and created a highly skilled training programme for these five young people as a result.”