Nottingham engineering business showcases expanded facility to mark 20 years of operation.
Employees who joined academy as apprentices now represent almost a quarter of the company’s workforce.
Nottingham-based Caunton Engineering has completed the refurbishment of its highly successful training academy, marking 20 years of operation. More than 100 apprentices have passed through the Caunton Academy’s doors since it was first launched in 2004 to address the industry’s skills shortages in fabrication and welding. Employees who joined the academy as apprentices now represent 22% of the company’s current workforce.
The refurbishment has increased the academy’s working area at the heart of the company’s factory floor – as well as providing state-of-the art machinery reflecting the company’s move towards more robotic and laser-based technologies. Caunton hosted a launch event on Wednesday (September 24) to showcase the refurbished academy, which combines both a classroom and a model production line to simulate the actual working environment. Guests included representatives of the local and national business communities who have supported the academy during the past 21 years.
Speaking at the event, the company’s Chairman Simon Bingham said: “Caunton Engineering is passionate about recruiting apprentices and graduates, offering young people the opportunity to take the first step towards a career in the engineering and construction industries. The redevelopment of the Caunton Academy is testament of our long-term commitment to training our future workforce, giving them best possible skills and experience to harness the new technological developments that are transforming our industry.
“Apprentices who joined the academy have progressed to become structural engineers, quantity surveyors and contract managers within the business – demonstrating the transformational impact of the apprenticeship programme, turning student potential into long-term professional careers.”
The launch event provided the ideal opportunity to celebrate and share the success stories of the academy workforce. Mr Bingham added: “Of the six apprentices who undertook their end point assessment last summer, all have been successful with a 100% pass rate. The ongoing success of our apprentices, once in employment, further highlights how our training is consistently meeting the ever-changing demands of the fabrication schedule and demonstrates their operational value. It also means that our considerable talent and skills are being nurtured and maintained in the local area – which is good news not just for the future of Caunton Engineering but for the wider business community.”
From its inception, the Caunton Academy has been highly successful in the delivery of apprenticeships in fabrication and welding, leading to its recognition in 2008 as an accredited Excellence Achievement and Learning training centre. As well as gaining the Extended Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, apprentices can also work towards achieving the Metal Fabricator Standard delivered by the in-house, qualified teaching team. The academy gained Employer Provider status in 2017. The academy also offers work experience to students from the local community, providing them the opportunity to design, draw and manufacture their own toolbox, gaining a valuable insight into the entire production process.
Ethan Fordham started his journey with the Caunton Academy in 2021 as an apprentice fabricator and welder. After completing his apprenticeship a year early, Ethan progressed into the role of a Trainee Detailer.
Speaking about his experience at the academy, Ethan said: “I joined Caunton Engineering straight from school, on their three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship programme as a fabricator welder. This allowed me to make my way from school into the working world. I learnt many valuable skills and had the opportunity to work with many experienced people, as well as learning how to fabricate and weld.
“The apprenticeship team allow you to learn the basics of the job before working on more important projects. It gained me a Level 3 qualification, and I had the opportunity to finish it one year early, allowing me to progress with my career quicker than I expected. I have now moved into the Drawing Office, where I am now a Trainee Detailer and have started a Level 4 apprenticeship at Mansfield, Nottingham Trent University. I could not recommend an apprenticeship enough to anyone, as it provides a great way from school into the working world, gaining you qualifications, experience and earning a wage.”
