The National Apprenticeship Week this year saw a concerted effort to promote the many benefits of joining an apprentice programme to young people looking at their education and career options. The chance to continue to learn and work at the same time, with a recognised qualification at the end of the course, remains a highly attractive option to many young people. While for businesses an apprentice programme can help build their skills base within the workplace.
Since the very early days of Middlesex the business has believed in the long-term benefits of providing an apprentice programme. Every year since 1950 the company has taken on apprentices, and to date has trained well over one thousand people. There is of course the development of talented individuals into skilled staff highly valued in the industry. But apprentices are often best placed to progress into senior positions too; they bring their experience and ingrained company culture and a fresh impetus to help the business progress.
Middlesex Aerospace is able to point to many employees, both past and present, who started their first day as an apprentice. This includes Ian Monk who as Sales & Engineering Director of Middlesex Aerospace began his career here as an apprentice. The current management board of the company features over half of whom started out as an apprentice. And 1 in 3 people who work for Middlesex Aerospace left school and pursued an apprenticeship path to develop their engineering knowledge.
A successful apprentice programme is not solely in-house. Our historic partnership with Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT), includes course sponsorship, providing work experience and inviting students to join our apprentice programme. This has been a particularly rewarding experience for all involved. Finding young people and bringing them into the testing, fast-paced world of precision engineering remains a challenge in a world full of alternative and exciting career paths. But we believe our core values – delivering excellence, doing business with integrity, and working to bring out the best in people – continue to attract the very best young talent and help us move confidently into the future.