June 2007
Metsec plc
Metsec highly commended at prestigious apprentice awards

A successful apprenticeship programme run by Metsec has been highly commended at a top awards ceremony.

The cold roll-forming steel producer was a finalist in the Employer of the Year Award 2007 (250+ Employees), at the Apprenticeship Awards 2007.

Held annually by the Learning and Skills Council, the Awards are in their fourth year, and recognise and reward employers and apprentices using apprenticeships to improve their business performance and tackle skills shortages.

Metsec training manager Steve Giles said: "Apprentices have helped increase capacity in one of our businesses from 1,000 tonnes in 1997, to 10,000 tonnes in 2006, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what apprentices have added to the business.

"For example, Luke Groves, an apprentice in his fourth year with us, recently saved the company £20,000 on continuous improvement projects."

Metsec, which last year opened its own £300,000 engineering apprenticeship training facility, has trained 36 apprentices in the past five years. Staff turnover is at a 10-year low, as employees recognise how committed the company is to training and developing its workforce.

And it rewards apprentices with salaries above the national average, along with a 17% extra bonus scheme which factors in time, attendance and academic achievement. For the past three years there has been a 100% apprenticeship completion rate.

Metsec managing director Stephen Tilsley, chairman of the company's apprentice steering committee, said: "We're delighted to have our apprenticeship programme recognised in this way. It reflects the tremendous time and effort put into apprenticeships, both by the company and the apprentices themselves."

Metsec plc is the UK's largest specialist cold roll-forming company providing products for the construction and engineering industries.

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