Apprentices forge the future for steelwork fabricator
Telford manufacturer, Fabweld Steel Products (FSP), has won awards for its training and workforce development approach – with three apprentices currently progressing in the business.
Three out of four members of the senior management team started as apprentices in addition to the now managing director, Wayne Carter.
Wayne Carter, who completed a Fabricator-Welder apprenticeship at FSP at the start of his career said: “Apprenticeships have been a key part of our recruitment and staff retention strategy over the years.
“Some of apprentices that we’ve welcomed to the team have stayed with us and developed their roles even further by studying towards additional industry qualifications, while three have achieved first class degrees while working with us.
“Developing and embedding this high level of skill and expertise in the business means that we can better serve our customer and proves that the conventional route to further education does not always suit everyone.”
Among the 2023 apprentices are Blake Allen and Jack O’Neil, who are about to complete their apprenticeships and join the company as fully qualified Welder/Fabricators.
Blake said: “I applied to join Fabweld as an apprentice to expand my skill set in welding and to start my career off. It’s a good company to work for and they make you feel like part of the team. In the future, I plan to take the welding skills I’ve learned and use them in a role in the aerospace industry.”
Jack added: “I applied for an apprenticeship here as I wanted to follow in my Dad’s footsteps as he’s been a welder since he was 16. Working here is great as you are able to learn a variety of jobs. That's the best way to be as you can’t put yourself in one bubble. If you want to do an apprenticeship at Fabweld, I think you need to be willing to work and to put yourself out there.”
Ryleigh Tabbott joined Fabweld in August last year on a Business Admin apprenticeship NVQ Level 3.
She said: “I had a job before I joined Fabweld, but I wanted to start working on a career and moving forward. Learning while still earning money was the best way for me to do that. My goal is definitely to move up in the company like a lot of people have here. I’d say to anyone thinking about doing an apprenticeship to go for it. I wish I’d done it sooner.”
Anyone interested in developing a career with FSP should contact molly.peters@fsp.co.uk
