Greene Tweed apprentices

Apprentices are flying high at MAA member Greene Tweed & Co. The firm, which designs and makes thermoplastic seals at its site near Nottingham, already has five apprentices and has pledged to recruit two more in 2014.

Martin Johnson, senior recruiter, said: "We have a very specialised operation focussed around specialised materials and manufacturing processes. It's a dying skill, so to be able to bring new blood through by training apprentices is a godsend.

“We are a niche operation and we need to develop our own talent for the future. Our seals are used in the aerospace, oilfield and petrochemical industries. They are safety critical components, so our apprentices are making products which help planes to take off and land safely. Our products are on 90 per cent of all airplanes."

The company, which designs and manufactures high-performance materials and custom-engineered sealing and composite solutions, is headquartered in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania, and has offices in France, Germany and Italy.

Mr Johnson added: "We work closely with Central College to develop an apprenticeship programme that benefits our company. We hope to roll out our scheme globally."

It has been training its own apprentices for the last seven years.

The current crop of five trainees include Shaun Motson, 16, of Aspley. He said: "I didn't want to be in a classroom for another couple of years. The combination of gaining experience and a qualification seemed like a good one for me."

Second year apprentice Neil Hayes, 19, of Clifton, said: "My development is going well. I've learnt how to run the specialist machines and how to programme them. "I have always wanted to work, so an apprenticeship is something that I was very keen to do."

Greene Tweed apprentices undertake a three year course, at the end of which they gain a level three B-Tech qualification.

Dan Minchin, 22, started an apprenticeship with the company after completing A-levels at Ilkeston College. He said: "After finishing my A-levels, I really wanted to develop my skills and get a trade under my belt before going to university."

Thanks to the Nottingham Evening Post for this story.