Unfortunately, over the years as cost cutting has taken hold these schemes have been eroded and removed, not just here but in many manufacturing units as the battle to survive has outweighed the vision for the future.

However, over the past couple of years we have revived and invested in the apprenticeship scheme, as there is no point in struggling through the current tough economic times to then not have the skills and foresight for the long term.

We have 4 people (including 1 female) learning the trade on the shop floor of both forging and rolling, with day release to attend an engineering course. Another 2 are employed in the tool room and 1 in the laboratory.

The whole process will take a minimum of 4 years and we are trying to match the retirees at one end of the age spectrum with apprentices at the other.

The idea of rejuvenating the scheme came from the shop floor and it has given them a huge morale boost to see the company looking forward so that complex cold forged products can be developed and manufactured on this site for many years to come.

Anyone interested in joining the scheme for the intake during January 2010 should apply to:

Lynn Marshall
Caparo Atlas Fastenings Limited
Heath Road
Darlaston
West Midlands
WS10 8XL

Email: lynn.marshall@atlasfastenings.com