An engineering company has unveiled plans to double its workforce to 120 over the next five years – including taking on more apprentices.
Sewtec Automation Ltd designs and manufactures factory automation equipment for some of the UK’s best-known blue chip companies in the food, tobacco, personal care and pharmaceutical industries.
In the first three months of 2018, the company secured £10m of orders from customers based in the UK, Ireland and USA while creating eight new engineering, manufacturing and sales roles in the process.
Now it has ambitions to double its turnover to £32m over the next five years – and anticipates doubling the number of highly skilled engineering and manufacturing jobs, which would see its workforce growing to more than 120 people.
Some of the new recruits will be apprentices – as the firm has already seen the benefits they can bring to the business.
Sewtec, based at Ravensthorpe, currently has vacancies in electrical and manufacturing engineering.
Head of business support Mark Atkins said: “Sewtec is a great place to work. Employees are very loyal and tend to remain with us for long periods.
“Apprenticeships are a great way of future-proofing the business as like many companies within the sector, we have an ageing workforce.
“We are looking to recruit passionate and innovative employees who will play an integral part in delivering key business objectives.
“And with apprenticeships, you get the opportunity to recruit someone with raw talent and support their development and growth through to them becoming a valued member of the team.”
Current trainees include Jordan Knight, of Cleckheaton, an electrical engineering apprentice with Kirklees College who has been with Sewtec for three years.
Mark said: “Jordan has fit really well into the company and hasn’t been afraid to embrace what we do. He is always ready to be involved, from carrying out basic tasks through to working with the team on building bespoke automation solutions. Whatever task we give to Jordan he always has a smile on his face.”
Jordan said: “I was always more interested in the practical side. “I never really liked just sitting in a classroom so I like that I’m getting paid while I’m learning and getting a qualification.”
Visit www.kirkleescollege.ac.uk/apprenticeships or contact info@kirkleescollege.ac.uk or 01484 437070.
Businesses interested in taking on an apprentice can contact the Kirklees College Employer Engagement Team on 0800 7813020 or email employers@kirkleescollege.ac.uk
