Hydraulics & Pneumatics March 2022

NEWS Birmingham-based engineering firm adi Group continues to prioritise the upskilling of the younger generation in a bid to close the widening STEM skills gap. The education sector has been impacted by COVID-19, with many organisations continuing to play catch up. However, with apprentices at the core of adi Group’s ‘Engineering a better Future’ mantra, and with its apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship schemes continuing to expand, the firm is determined to close and bridge the STEM skills gap. adi Group implements a ‘hands on’ approach when working with and nurturing its apprentices. As part of the ‘Keep Britain Tidy Campaign’, 20 apprentices and their mentors joined forces with Sandwell Valley Country Park to clean up this reserve and its surrounding areas. James Sopwith, group strategic account director at adi Group, comments: “It was great to partner with the team from Sandwell Council and take part in an activity that will have such a positive effect on the community. At adi Group, our aim is to support and guide the engineers of tomorrow, but it is equally important that we continue to drive our ethos of community interaction and support. What better way to do just that, than to head out into the local community and integrate with a local council to collect litter from a park within our close vicinity.” In just under three hours, the team of litter pickers covered several miles and collected more than 30 bags of litter. Their efforts were well received and really appreciated by the locals, who stopped to pass on messages of praise. The support for National Apprenticeship Week didn’t stop there, though, as James and the team at adi published their own ‘Under the Spotlight’ newsletter series as part of their activities. Inspiring new recruits Throughout the series, a number of the firms’ employees discussed their own careers and how they made their way through the ranks, while current apprentices talked through their roles in a bid to inspire new recruits. Each of these biographies was posted on adi’s social media channels, with the aim of signposting opportunities for budding engineers. The overriding theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, for the second year in a row, was ‘Building the Future’ – a message that resonates with adi Group and its ethos of creating the engineers of tomorrow. Sopwith continues: “Our apprentice academy gives committed and ambitious individuals an excellent first step towards their career within engineering ensuring they are confident, competent and engaged.” In addition to its full-time apprenticeship scheme, the business’ pre-apprentice program and its partnership with Kings Norton Boys School, is designed to promote greater accessibility to those with a desire to enter the engineering profession. Each year, the program offers 12 students from years 10 and 11 the opportunity to develop their hands on engineering skills, within purpose-built workshops over a two-year span. Taking up around 10% of their GCSE curriculum time, the students leave the program with not only a formal engineering qualification, but in a position where they are ‘top of the class’ when it comes to picking up a full-time apprenticeship at the age of 16. Insight Continuing adi Group’s work with Kings Norton Boys School, Sopwith visited the school and presented an assembly to those in year nine, who are currently considering their GCSE options. “The purpose of the assembly was to give the students an insight into the world of engineering, as well as an overview of what our pre-apprenticeship entails,” he says. “The program is a potential option for them to choose alongside their standard GCSEs, and something they may not have otherwise considered.” The engineering firm was built by Alan Lusty, CEO of adi Group, who began his career as an apprentice himself, and therefore understands the opportunities and benefits that come with such a practical and hands on education. “As a business we have fully committed to youth skills development and it is an integral part of engineering our future,” says Lusty. “It’s why we built a platform that provides young people with insights and training into a highly rewarding career within the engineering industry.” The firm is hopeful that other like-minded businesses will also help shape the future careers of current and recently graduated students to support the growth and future of the engineering industry. 8 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS March 2022 www.hpmag.co.uk adi Group continues to close the STEM skills gap Dr. Stefan Spindler: “This acquisition adds to our still young portfolio of robot actuators and considerably expands our position as an innovative supplier in this important business area.”