Meet our New Apprentice Toolmaker…

As part of our continued commitment to the future of RP and the future of toolmaking we regularly employ apprentices. There’s a huge skill gap within our industry and apprenticeships provide the vital hands on experience that’s essential within the trade. Employing apprentices is a core part of our growth and investment plans for the future.

At the start of July, Jamie joined us for a week on work experience to learn about the tool making industry and to help him decide if this is what he wants to do as a career.

Jamie spent a week on the shop-floor learning an array of different skills which helped him to decide that tool making is his chosen career path. We’ve since employed Jamie as an apprentice, here’s a summary of why he enjoyed his work experience and why he chose tool making as an apprenticeship…

What did you do during your work experience?

I had two day working as a toolmaker using the manual machines to finish some parts for a new tool, I also cut the ejector pins. I had a couple of days using the CAD/CAM CNC Machining Centres to see how they worked and what they’re used for. My last day was spent in the mould shop to see how the plastic is processed through the tool to create parts.

What did you enjoy the most during your work experience?

The thing I enjoyed the most was using and programming the CNC Machines and seeing the finished product the next day.

What made you want to become a toolmaker?

I chose to do an apprenticeship in tool making as I really like the idea of getting to make the different parts of a tool and watch everything come together to produce plastic products. Knowing that I’d helped to make that product is something I’m really looking forward to.

What are you looking forward to most about your apprenticeship?

I’m looking forward to getting hands on experience to be able to make my own tools, start to finish.