Company to hold open night

Two local award-winning companies are opening their doors to parents and young people in an aim to highlight the varied careers available in Powys.

Hugely successful local enterprises Dawson Shanahan and Makefast Ltd, who both have highly valued apprenticeship programmes, will be holding open evenings in November.

The first open evening takes place at the Welshpool-based Dawson Shanahan on Tuesday 8 November with Makefast Ltd’s opening evening taking place on Thursday 10 November in Newtown.  Doors will be open on both evenings from 4.30pm to 6pm and guests are encouraged to register beforehand at www.mwmg.org.

The event has been arranged by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group as part of its Futureproofing Engineering Project.  The project is supported by Powys County Council.

Cllr Avril York, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “The engineering sector in Powys employs over 5,000 people.  To help futureproof this vital sector, we need to ensure a pipeline of young people that are able to support it.

“By showcasing the type of jobs and the apprenticeship opportunities that are available locally, we can help to stimulate interest in the engineering sector.”

Dawson Shanahan designs, prototypes and precision engineers metal components for use in a wide range of industries around the world including automotive, aerospace and many more.  The company’s paid apprenticeship programme provides committed young people with the skills, knowledge and experience to accelerate their career in the exciting world of engineering.

Apprentices work alongside industry professionals learning about the theoretical and practical side of engineering. The apprenticeship training programme lasts three to four years and offers the opportunity to achieve nationally recognised engineering qualifications at level two, three and four. Many local companies offer training opportunities for teenagers at GCSE or A-Level to start an apprenticeship and, potentially, achieve graduate status.

At the opening evening, visitors will see first-hand the facilities available to apprentices and gain an understanding of the skills they’ll develop as part of their training. In addition, they’ll have the chance to speak to Dawson Shanahan’s current group of apprentices to find out how the program works and why they chose Dawson Shanahan.

The second visit takes place at Makefast Ltd.  The company, which employs 58 people, manufactures marine and safety hardware at its factories in Newtown.  The company is committed to recruiting young people as engineering apprentices as a drive to support the company’s continued growth

Mike Mills, Director of Operations at Makefast Ltd, said: “We very pleased to be involved with the Mid Wales Manufacturing Group’s factory tour. The planned visit is an ideal opportunity for young people and their parents to see what a successful manufacturing business looks like and experience the atmosphere and understand better what we do.

“We particularly like to see young people about to take their GCSE options so that they can make informed decisions on their study subject selections, and I would encourage young people to consider an apprenticeship.

“As we continue with our business growth we are looking for young apprentices to join our team and earn as they learn. Our aim is to enable hard-working and focused school leavers to pursue a career in manufacturing and work towards achieving qualifications at Makefast.”

You can keep up to date with all the latest events through the website www.mwmg.org and via social media @MWMGWales or contact Ceri Stephens, Group Manager, Mid Wales Manufacturing Group info@mwmg.org or telephone 01686 628778.