Call to halt 'low-value' apprenticeships

Rotherham, UK – Yorkshire-based AESSEAL plc, globally the fourth largest manufacturer of mechanical seals for oil, chemical, gas, mining, water and other industries, has attacked what it sees as a trend towards short-term apprenticeships and low-quality training provision in the UK.

Over the next five years the company will train at least 30, predominantly young, men and women, under a programme at AESSEAL’s Rotherham headquarters.

AESSEAL started with a handful of employees and now has more than 1,400 in 230 locations worldwide, including 300-plus at its global technology centre in Rotherham. Some 90% of its sales are overseas.

“If the UK is to compete credibly in manufacturing, it needs to re-evaluate the term ‘engineer’, giving it the esteem it has in other leading manufacturing nations, such as Germany and Japan,” said production and personnel director Richard Cook.

“We must also stop devaluing ‘apprenticeships’; recognise them as a three to five year programme of skills acquisition to create competent machinists - quite aside from the development necessary to go into production supervision and management.”

AESSEAL says it has differentiated its initiative by developing a two-year, off-the-job programme – accepting that there will be no measurable productive return from the apprentices during this period.

Condemning current notions that good apprenticeships can be delivered by a 42-week programme, Cook said: “People are deluded if they think the creation of an engineer can be compressed to this extent. Some of our past apprentices from such schemes were unable to demonstrate even the most basic of machining skills, such as thread cutting.

“We have a huge problem with skills in manufacturing, locally and nationally. We also suffer from cynicism about manufacturing being a dying sector. It’s not. This country - commentators, politicians and others - should recognise that, and put much more than words into promoting and encouraging it.”

Cook’s support for apprenticeships, stems from his background as an apprentice-trained engineer. He left school with five GCSEs and was offered a broad-based training programme in engineering at a time when many companies were eradicating apprenticeships.

“And what a fantastic start to working life that was! I eventually went on to achieve an honours degree,” he said.. “So I absolutely understand what a great career route this can be for young people.

“It’s about opportunities for personal development, about giving people experience, career prospects and a salary, all at the same time - earn as you learn! We need truly great people, be they talented machinists or those with aspirations towards higher education - up to and including PhD level.

“There are very few people experienced enough to manufacture one-off components on complex multi-tasking machinery with no room for error. One tiny mistake and thousands of pounds’ worth of raw material can be scrapped, delaying delivery and letting down the customer. Everybody in our company is expected to go the extra mile to ensure this never happens.”

Cook is scathing about training provision in general. “Some organisations are drawing down millions in EU funds and not meriting it. But we use a local company, Brinsworth Training, because they demonstrated a genuine will to work with us to improve local apprenticeship provision. In return we directly support Brinsworth’s Strategic Advisory Board.”

AESSEAL believes that competition for experienced engineers means it must grow its own.

“That means we can also instil in them AESSEAL’s core values,” said Cook, “especially the all-encompassing ethos of giving customers such exceptional service, from product quality to after-care, that they need never look for an alternative source of supply.”

The company believes that investment in well-trained employees gives lucrative payback over time through increased efficiency and innovation. But it also insists on a clear, legally-binding agreement those undertaking higher education are expected to sign - anyone leaving before or within a few years of qualifying must repay a reducing proportion of course fees, immediately on leaving.

“Yes, it does focus the mind,” admitted Cook. “But we hope the people will stay with us for years as great machine operators, sales people, administrators - whatever they develop into, because they have stimulating and challenging career paths.

“We have one young person on our Advanced Apprenticeship Programme with the specific remit of becoming a sales engineer. Another rejected a university place to join us as an apprentice and is now being fast-tracked through our Management Development Programme.

“One of our female apprentices has just made the transition from manufacturing workshop to sales administration, creating vital packages that will persuade companies to choose our products and services.”