As part of their latest Further Education project apprentices had the chance to consolidate their practical skills with their technical knowledge. Their challenge…to design a conveyor belt including a prototype to allow them to preview and improve their designs.

Jayne Jackson, FE Tutor said: “Our apprentices had four weeks to complete this project and I’ve been impressed by their efforts and how they have demonstrated their understanding of mechanical principles.”

Josh Perry an apprentice with Nasmyth is pictured with his model in which he’s incorporated his own Meccano (a childhood birthday present from his Grandad). Josh tells us: “I was always a fan of putting things together and making things as a child, so a career in engineering seemed like a natural fit for me. I knew I was in good hands with MGTS as both my dad and my uncle did their engineering apprenticeships with MGTS (at Parkside). In fact, my dad trained with Stuart George the current Centre Lead at MGTS Coventry.

Conor Bevan an apprentice with Mapal is pictured demonstrating his CAD skills. He comments: “I’m in the second year of my apprenticeship and really enjoying developing my design skills. During my first year at MGTS I most enjoyed the practical learning in the Centre and was proud to be awarded ‘Mechanical Apprentice of the Year’ in the MGTS 2023 Apprentice awards. At Mapal I’ve also had the opportunity to experience learning within other departments in the business which is great for improving my knowledge and skillset.”

All the apprenticeship Pathways on offer with MGTS, including Product Design and Development, can be viewed here.