Metsec Plc is the UK's leading cold roll forming company with over 70 years experience in the industry. Over the years, Metsec has invested heavily in new plant and equipment; however, it is its investment in developing their employees that ensures continuous improvement in all aspects of their products and services.
Metsec have always believed in the vital role that Apprenticeships have within an organisation and were actively involved in the design of the Metals Industry Apprenticeship in 1993/4. Since then, Metsec has embraced and grown Apprenticeships as the lifeblood of the company.
In 2001, Metsec established an Apprenticeship Steering Committee in order to establish Apprenticeships strategically within the company, chaired by Stephen Tilsley, Managing Director. The outcome pledged a constant pool of 20 apprentices, who, before specialising, gain experience across the business – from production to drawing office and sales.
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Stephen said: “Our Apprenticeship programme ensures that at the end of the process, Metsec place the right people into each role, the apprentices perform better, thrive and stay with Metsec as a result.”
The Apprenticeship programme enables Metsec to recruit and grow motivated individuals to very high skills levels, embracing the corporate culture and core values from the outset, rather than joining with existing attitudes and habits. Experienced employees receive ‘trainer’ training to help them train Apprentices and Metsec even appoints retired employees as apprentice mentors.
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Metsec actively champions Apprenticeships throughout the metals industry, where few employers recognise the major skills crisis the industry faces. A number of apprentices at Metsec are Metals Industry Apprentice Ambassadors, working with sector skills body MetSkill to get involved in school career fairs as well as representing the metals industry in its Apprenticeship promotion.
Metsec now have a better retention rate of apprentices than employees recruited via other routes, with 72% of apprentices staying with Metsec since 1994. Apprenticeships also contribute directly to their productivity, for example, the Framing Division, where Metsec were previously unable to recruit skilled CAD operators, apprentices have helped to increase capacity from 1,000 tonnes pa in 1997 to 7,000 tonnes pa in 2004. In financial terms, the Division was functioning at breakeven point in 1997, but by 2004 was delivering profits of £1.2 million pa.
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Stephen said: “The Apprenticeship approach has helped to inspire excellence and quality in all areas of Metsec’s business.”
The achievements of individual apprentices are a perfect illustration of this: two were 2004 Metals Industry Apprentice of the Year finalists, and one recently achieved 3rd prize in the StruCad International Drawing Competition. Many of Metsec’s apprentices go on to pursue specialist, academic or professional qualifications alongside their continued work-based development and a number achieve university degrees. Metsec also prefer, wherever possible, to recruit from within, and qualified apprentices are always encouraged to apply for senior roles. Four of the directors and senior managers at Metsec were former apprentices, so the opportunities for progression are very transparent.
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