Altrincham-based trailer and commercial vehicle body manufacturer, Cartwright Group, has developed its award-winning apprenticeship programme to include new modules and an induction week with a renewed focus on support and team-building.
One of the UK’s leading manufacturer of trailers, the company has a reputation for their marketing-leading innovations that include setting the standard for fuel efficiency in the transport industry. The Group is proud to further develop its apprentice scheme, named in Centrica’s top 100 Apprenticeship employers and winning various industry awards in recent years.
New modules on the programme include business administration and design to add to positions across the range of manufacturing processes on Cartwright’s 38-acre manufacturing site. The induction process has been further developed to include group activities and sessions with key staff that have been a part of previous apprenticeships.
At the time of its launch in 2012, Cartwright’s trailblazing apprenticeship programme was recognised as a ground-breaking scheme that set a new benchmark for the manufacturing industry. Now entering its 6th year, Cartwright’s apprenticeship programme has gone from strength to strength with over 200 apprentices walking through its doors since the scheme was first launched.
The scheme was the brainchild of Cartwright chairman, Peter Cartwright who wanted to drive a stream of young talent into the engineering sector, a goal that has been the core to continuing the Cartwright success story.
This year saw the highest number of apprentices recruited since the scheme was launched, with 29 prospects inducted onto the scheme.
Mark Cartwright, Group Managing Director at the Cartwright Group commented: “It’s a pleasure to enforce the development of young talent by giving them the opportunity to learn from some of the best talent in British manufacturing and thrive in a successful career with Cartwright.
“We are constantly looking to invest and expand our apprenticeship programme as it continues to play a pivotal role in our continuing success.
“Introducing these new modules to our apprenticeship this year is a testament to how quickly the scheme is evolving. Each year we have listened to the course leaders and feedback from apprentices to develop the course into what I believe is the strongest apprentice programme in the industry.”
Cartwright’s four-year apprenticeships are tailored to the company’s requirements and are designed to encourage school and college leavers to develop a range of both work and social skills, including working in a team, to lay the foundations for a future career in engineering. As part of the course, apprentices are able to earn further higher education qualifications in their respective fields as part of their extensive training and development, in partnership with SETA Training and Advisory Services.
Apprentices are rotated around each of the disciplines in Cartwright’s factory and are mentored under a buddy system in which they are paired up with an experienced member of staff. They are also assigned a second/third year apprentice as a mentor they can approach for help.
