Apprenticeship
Giving Young People a Chance
It’s so difficult these days for youngsters to build a career, particularly in the manufacturing sector. They face increased competition, fewer prospective employers, and the age-old Catch-22 of having little or no experience but not being able to get a job to gain experience.
Post-COVID, with many businesses either shutting or significantly scaling back their recruitment activities, things are getting even harder.
Fortunately, RP Technologies has bucked the trend. Business is thriving, and we have employed more new employees recently than in many of the years that have gone before.
Here at RP, we recognise the challenges young people face, and we acknowledge that there is a lot of talent out there that simply isn’t being given a chance. We believe that with the right attitude, a willingness to learn, and a genuine passion for forging a career in manufacturing, these youngsters can be an asset to any business.
What they need is a chance. That, and of course, the training from expert industry professionals who have been doing the job for years.
RP Technologies has always championed young talent, helping individuals who have joined us as apprentices to build successful careers in aluminium tooling and plastic injection moulding.
It’s a big part of the work we’ve done in the community, where we have recruited, trained, and nurtured local talent, giving youngsters a chance to learn and earn.
Our Latest Apprentice
Ellyott Meakin, 18, joined RP in the summer of 2022 as an Apprentice Toolmaker, having just completed his studies.
He has embarked upon a dedicated programme of training and has begun his apprenticeship by learning from some of the best toolmakers in the business.
For RP, Ellyott represents the next generation of toolmakers. He will carry RP’s toolmaking forward for many years, so that our longstanding customers can rest assured that the same level of quality which we have become synonymous with will sustain itself in the many years to come.
Ellyott will add energy, enthusiasm and freshness to our daily operations, allowing us to evolve, adapt and nurture new talent.
Darren Withers, Director, said: “We’ve all been very impressed by Ellyott’s desire to learn and his determination to succeed. A professional approach and a willingness to take on board constructive feedback are important qualities in any workplace.
Ellyott’s time has been apportioned between various members of the tooling department. These experienced toolmakers have helped Ellyott to learn new skills. They have also helped him to gain an appreciation of the toolmaking process from A-Z.
It is our hope that in the fullness of time, Ellyott will be confident enough to work without supervision on each aspect of the toolmaking process. He now has the opportunity to build a successful career, and we will fully support him in his efforts to do so.”
One of our Previous Apprentice’s, Calvin Byfield
Calvin Byfield has been with RP since 2014 and has worked his way up to the position of CNC Programmer. Calvin joined RP as an apprentice straight from college, and has, over the years, flourished into an extremely skilled and valuable member of our team.
Calvin said: “I joined RP as an 18 year old, and in that time I have learned an incredible amount of things. I have developed many skills which I didn’t have before, and which will stay with me for the rest of my professional life.
As an apprentice, I had the opportunity to learn on the job and get paid at the same time. Since then, I’ve continued to acquire new skills and I have also been promoted.
RP has given me the opportunity to build a successful career and to develop in all areas of my life. I have just moved into my first home. This would not have been possible without RP.
I’m grateful for the opportunity RP Technologies gave to me all those years ago.”
Work Experience Placement
In addition to our work with young apprentices, we also support young people who are interested in completing work experience placements with us.
In 2022, we welcomed Adrian Fok. Adrian, 18, came to us for a work experience placement shortly before he began studying Aeronautical Engineering at Imperial College London. Adrian was keen to learn new things about our aluminium tooling, rapid prototyping, and plastic injection moulding processes.
Adrian has grand ambitions in life. When asked what he wanted to do, Adrian replied: “Err… I guess I’ll just probably either build or invent rocket engines.
I like to learn how things are made. If I don’t know how things are made, how can I possibly be an inventor, or come up with new ideas?”
And learning new things was something we were more than willing to help Adrian with. We gave him full access to each facet of our operations, so that he divided his time between production management, the toolmaking team, and some of our specialist engineers.
“I’ve learned many things I didn’t know, including how to programme CNC machines. I’ve also spent several enjoyable hours with the CAD designers, learning how they approach each unique project. The people at RP Technologies have been extremely nice.”
Talented and enthusiastic young people like Adrian and Ellyott represent the future of our industry, and RP is committed to ensuring that we do all we can to support and foster their learning.
More Information:
If you would like to enquire about apprenticeships or work experience placements, please call +44 (0)121 550 5868, or email info@rptechnologies.co.uk.
