More success for the MTC Apprenticeship programme
The positive reputation of the Manufacturing Technology Centre’s apprenticeship programme continues to grow after receiving further recognition at The Manufacturer MX Awards.
The annual occasion, which is dedicated to encouraging and promoting competitive manufacturing in the UK, and celebrating the very best in the industry, saw the MTC secure finalists in two categories at this year’s event held in Birmingham.
Apprentice Rishi Chohan, aged 20, was recognised in the Young Manufacturer of the Year category while the apprenticeship programme was recognised in the Partnership with Education section.
The recognition comes exactly a year after the Ansty Park-based Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC), which currently has more than 120 apprentices on the programme, opened its doors.
Chohan, who turned down a place a university to join the programme, revealed his delight at being named in the top five in the country following a stringent two-stage judging process.
“Reaching the final was a real achievement and I am more than happy with being in the top five in the country,” he said.
“I am sure reaching the finals will have an impact on my future career as it will enable me to stand out from the crowd.”
Third year apprentice Chohan, from Coventry, is currently on his industry-placement at the MTC. The industry placement is a key element of the programme as it fulfils the aims of the MTC to produce business-ready engineers skilled in future technologies.
“It was difficult choosing between university and the apprentice programme, but the opportunity to get on-the-job experience really sold it for me, while I continue on a path to get my degree,” added Chohan.
The latest recognition for the apprentice programme was built on its wide range of activities in promoting manufacturing and engineering within the education sector.
The MTC is involved in a number of initiatives including supporting the Imagineering Foundation, which introduces eight-to-16-year-olds to engineering, supporting A-Level STEM students in conjunction with the Engineering Development Trust, providing STEM ambassadors and offering Year in Industry placements to university students.
Neil Fowkes, training manager at the AMTC, said: “We are extremely proud of our achievements and for both Rishi and the apprentice programme to be recognised in The Manufacturer MX Awards. We are all delighted for Rishi as he has worked extremely hard and is an example of what can be achieved as an apprentice with the MTC.
“We firmly believe he has the potential to develop a long, successful and rewarding career in the advanced manufacturing sector.”
The MTC, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, recruits 40 apprentices each year from across the Midlands. The highly sought after places are designed to produce a ready-made world class workforce for the manufacturing industry across a wide range of specialisms.
MTC apprentices spend one year at college before returning to complete a second year specialising in a field of technology and utilising the cutting-edge equipment and drawing on the expertise of the engineers and technicians at the MTC. This is followed by a work placement.
