Beakbane apprentice wins Worcestershire accolade

Matt was one of Kidderminster-based Beakbane's first advanced level apprentices. He joined the company in 2008 and is now entering the final six months of an HNC in engineering (Manufacturing) at Worcester College of Technology. He moved to the HNC course after receiving good City and Guilds grades. This annual Awards event brings together trainees, parents, company representatives and local dignitaries to acknowledge success in vocational training through apprenticeship programmes, which are designed to prepare young people for key jobs in local business. Beakbane's managing director, Mike Southwell, said: "We are very proud of Matt's achievement and are great believers in the need to train the talent of the future. We have taken on two more apprentices this year and will take on two more next year. The success of our existing apprentices confirms the value of our commitment to continue the programme." Beakbane is a world-leading specialist in bellows and machinery protection. Markets include machine tool building, security, transport, utilities, medical equipment, nuclear fuel processing, metrology and renewable energy. For the machine tool industry, Beakbane products include telescopic metal slideway covers, folding concertina covers for axis drives, slideway wipers, lightweight heavy-duty lamella, armoured aprons and roller blinds. Applications include machining centres, milling machines, boring machines, lathes, grinding machines, laser and waterjet cutting machines, routers and woodworking equipment. Beakbane complements its machine protection product portfolio with a contract design and manufacturing service for metal fabrications. Image: Apprentice Matt Barnett receives the award from Beakbane's manufacturing manager, Roy Legg [] Anyone interested in an apprenticeship at Beakbane should contact the Worcester Group Training Association at www.hgta.org