New apprentices at Sheffield Forgemasters
SHEFFIELD Forgemasters International has taken on a new batch of apprentices to bring the total number employed to its highest level in the 200-year-old company’s history.
The latest crop of 20 apprentices at the engineering firm takes the total to 76 – almost 10% of the workforce at the 64-acre Brightside Lane site and six more than two years ago.
Forgemasters will train the apprentices, who are all from schools and colleges in South Yorkshire, in a variety of highly skilled specialist careers including core making and steelmaking.
The recruitment drive comes as former business secretary Peter Mandelson claimed the coalition government’s decision to axe an £80m loan to the company had been taken “on the hoof”.
The loan had been agreed under Labour and would have helped Sheffield Forgemasters become a world leader in manufacturing components for nuclear power stations but has now been withdrawn.
Sheffield Forgemasters has now suspended its plans to buy new equipment to build parts for nuclear power stations.
Commenting on the apprenticeships, Graham Honeyman, chief executive of Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “We offer our apprentices a great opportunity to pursue rewarding careers with a forward thinking company that they may not have otherwise had the opportunity to experience.
“The fact that we now have a record-breaking amount of apprentices on our books reflects our commitment to building a strong, competent workforce for the long-term future. We are also proud to recruit from the local area – there is a great affinity with Sheffield and South Yorkshire which we wholeheartedly embrace.
“It is essential for the manufacturing industry that companies are committed to investment in long-term skills training. The industry faces growing competition from across the world so to have a highly skilled, competitive workforce for the future is a necessity we recognise absolutely.”
