adi Group celebrated National Engineering Day by shining a light on the young people who will power Britain’s future and the opportunities helping them take their first steps into engineering.
To mark the day on 4 November, the multidisciplinary engineering business showcased how its pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programmes introduce young people to the profession, help them discover their strengths and show them the careers they could build. From pupils gaining their first workshop experience at 14 to former apprentices managing engineering departments, adi is celebrating the people who will help shape the industry for years to come.
Opening the workshop door at 14
Now in its tenth year, adi’s Pre-Apprentice Programme works with Birmingham’s King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys to introduce pupils aged 14 to 16 to electrical and mechanical engineering.
Students attend the Group’s Kings Norton head office for half a day each week over two years, combining their GCSE studies with practical workshop learning. Modules include sheet metal fabrication, electrical installation, panel building and MIG welding, taught using specialist tools with support from experienced adi engineers.
The EAL-accredited programme gives students a recognised qualification as well as experience of a working engineering environment. It also helps them develop confidence and understand what a technical career could involve. All 12 students in the latest graduating cohort achieved a merit or distinction.
James Sopwith, Group Strategic Account Director, who leads the Pre-Apprentice Programme, has highlighted the importance of reaching young people earlier and challenging outdated perceptions of the profession. That ambition is at the heart of adi’s National Engineering Day message, making engineering visible and showing young people that there is a place for them within it.
He said: “Hands-on engineering experience is one of the most powerful ways to change those perceptions.”
Alan Lusty, Founder and Chairman of adi Group said: “We want every apprentice to understand the value of their role and it’s our hope they leave understanding that delivering a successful engineering project depends on people across several disciplined working together”.
Alongside the programme, adi supports engineering careers assemblies and mock interviews, helping students recognise their strengths and understand what employers look for.
Building skills across the business: The Apprentice Academy
The adi Apprentice Academy, which has been running for 12 years, combines workplace experience with nationally recognised Technical and NVQ qualifications. Apprentices learn alongside experienced professionals and receive structured support throughout their training.
In September, 54 apprentices came together for the Group’s annual two-day Apprentice Away Day. Those attending represented Automotive, Electrical, Mechanical, Fire & Security, Intelligent Buildings and Automation, alongside Group Services.
Following outdoor team building at Bassetts Pole Adventure Park, apprentices took part in sessions led by divisional Managing Directors at Lea Marston Hotel. A Factory of the Future challenge explored how an engineering environment moves from concept to delivery, while practical health and safety sessions considered risk and safe working.
The activities helped apprentices see how different specialisms contribute to a larger project and where their own developing skills fit within it.
Showing where an apprenticeship can lead
Employees across the business show how experience can turn into long-term progression.
Case studies
National Engineering Day also provided a chance to show young people where their first steps could lead.
- Tom Jennings, Apprentice to Managing Director
Tom joined adi as an apprentice in 2006 and progressed through roles including Electrician, Site Supervisor, Project Engineer, Operations Manager and Operations Director. He has since become Managing Director of adi Electrical and adi Automation and supports the development of the next generation through the Group’s apprentice and pre-apprentice academies.
- Kyle Sterry, Project Engineer
Kyle joined adi as an apprentice at 17 in 2015, the first year the Apprentice Academy began, having decided that full-time classroom learning was not the right route for him. He progressed from adi Mechanical’s workshop to supervising major engineering projects and managing projects himself. His experience includes contributing to an MRI facility at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
- Jacy Stanley, Current apprentice
Current apprentice Jacy Stanley is completing a Level 4 Building Controls Engineer Apprenticeship with adi Intelligent Buildings. Having first studied mechanical engineering at college, he has gained experience on sites for M&S and leading car manufacturers, as well as contributing to Birmingham hospital’s MRI facility. Alongside his apprenticeship, he has undertaken specialist software training.
For more articles like this, visit our People & Skills channel.
