As an international trade, there are always opportunities for work in new and exciting fields of engineering, and a recent trip to Finland demonstrated just that to three trainee engineers.
Three Coleg Gwent engineering Apprentices at Chepstow-based Mabey Bridge, spent three weeks in Helsinki at metal fabrication company Konepaja.
The trainees, who spend one day a week at the College’s City of Newport Campus and the rest putting their fabrication and welding skills to work at Mabey Bridge, had the opportunity to gain an understanding, and practical experience, of the engineering industry in the Finnish capital. One area of interest was efficiency-based ‘lean’ manufacturing which the Finnish are renowned for.
The Apprentices worked on decorative metal works for the city parks, bus shelters, safety barriers and metal sculptures at the relatively small company in Helsinki; a very different experience from their role at Mabey Bridge.
But as the project intended, this served as an opportunity to broaden their horizons. Twenty-nine year old Apprentice Ryan Broadrick from Cwmbran explains more: “It was exciting to experience engineering in another country. The culture was a lot more laid back but this didn’t affect productivity. The projects we worked on were very different to what we’re used to at Mabey Bridge – they were much smaller scale and we used machinery more than we used our hands but it was a great opportunity to broaden our skills.”
Ryan understands more than many the importance of skills and qualifications in the current economic climate. Having been made redundant from previous jobs where those with qualifications were at an advantage, Ryan decided an Apprenticeship would be a perfect solution: “Learning the basics at College and putting them into practice at work provides me with the qualifications to prove my skills should I find myself in a similar situation. And there will be a job at the end of the four year programme so the training will provide a more secure future and better career opportunities.”
The visit was part of a pilot scheme developed by Coleg Gwent in partnership with the Helsinki Education Bureau, Konepaja and Mabey Bridge who sponsored the visit.
Acting Head of Engineering at Coleg Gwent’s City of Newport Campus, Steve Lewis, joined the students for some of the trip: “The welding industry is international, so experience of working abroad has certainly added value to the apprentices’ experience. They have also increased in confidence and expanded their professional outlook for the future. The students made excellent use of this invaluable opportunity and were excellent ambassadors for Coleg Gwent and their employer.”
Since its official opening in May 2011, Mabey Bridge has gone from strength to strength with orders from some of the leading players in the global renewable energy industry.
Nigel Hyde, Mabey Bridge senior training coordinator, said : “The three weeks that our three apprentices at Mabey Bridge spent in Finland with metal fabrication company Konepaja gives them considerable breadth and depth of experience. They saw first-hand the ‘lean’ manufacturing style which Finnish engineers are well known for.
“Exchange programmes like this one are vital to broadening the horizons and experience of young workers. The opportunities that our apprentices can benefit from at Mabey Bridge make our scheme really stand out. It is an area we will continue to invest in for the future.”
Alex Smale, Mabey Bridge UK director, said: “Investing in the future of British manufacturing is a vital component of what we do at Mabey Bridge. We want to safeguard the long-term future of our industry by ensuring that the new generation of workers are equipped with all the right skills.
“The students who come to us have a chance to experience first-hand the different parts of the company. We are looking to build on and expand on our apprenticeship scheme offering young people a real future in challenging economic times.”
Coleg Gwent International Manager Anita Marks led the project and is pleased its success has provided a platform for similar projects in the future: “Similar trips have already been planned for the next two years which will allow more trainees to broaden their skills and their career options, and we’re looking to open up the opportunity to motor vehicle apprentices as well.”
