Norco has opened a new training centre, a purpose-built facility to give hands-on training to new apprentices. The company took the initiative due to shortage of skilled workers in the composite manufacturing sector. This will allow the company to produce skilled personnel according to its needs and move staff across its various divisions based on demand.

“Our apprenticeship programme starts in the new Training Centre where the apprentices are trained over a six-month period in the four types of application that we carry out here at Norco – hand laminating, finishing, infusion and prep-preg,” the company said.

After the initial six-month training stage, the apprentices will progress into the company’s production shop floor for 30 months. Accompanying their work experience, the apprentices will complete an NVQ in Composite Engineering Level 2 and 3 and a B-Tech Diploma in Composite Engineering Level 3 in conjunction with Yeovil College over the three-year apprenticeship.

The programme started on January 7, 2019 with the first intake of six apprentices and once their six-month training period is complete, the next intake will commence.

The training centre manager is Paul Sproston who oversees the day-to-day running of the facility for the six-month training period. He is assisted by trainers from each area of the composites departments.

Sproston commented: “As with all new ideas and concepts, you need to tweak and adjust to get the ideal training programme in place. With that in mind, the first six apprentices are showing great enthusiasm and seem to be settling in to Norco very well.”

The company’s strategy is to continue to run the training centre programme taking on six new apprentices every six months until the demand for skilled workers reduces in the composites sector. (SV)