NCMT celebrates 50th anniversary and founder's legacy of engineering education support

In 1964, Mr Gray was the first to import a Japanese NC machine into the UK, NCMT having been appointed sole agent for Makino machining centres and spark erosion machines. Less than 20 years after World War 2, there was still a degree of anti-Japanese sentiment in the country, so both NCMT and the customer, GEC, were in the vanguard of moving on from past history. One of his missions was to raise the status of British engineering. He completed an apprenticeship at Smiths Industries before entering national service, but was dismayed at the way manufacturing was often disparaged in the UK, unlike Japan and Germany. It inspired him to help promote the sector by funding education in universities and colleges. This initiative was later put on a more formal basis by the creation of the Thomas Gerald Gray Charitable Trust. The first, and to this day principal, relationship is with Brunel University, London, which is given a bursary to financially help engineering undergraduates that demonstrate both need and ability. Four prizes are awarded to students each year, up to eight undergraduate scholarships are funded, and the fees of five post-graduate research students are paid. Research students at University College London (UCL) are similarly assisted, as well as specific projects at the university, such as the Formula Student engineering competition, organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and held annually in the UK. More recently, the Trust has started to assist in funding an apprenticeship scheme at NCMT. Students achieving an NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification at Midland Group Training Services Centre have their initial year's salary paid. James Mottram is already benefitting and will complete his first year in July 2014. Two more apprentices are currently in training, one funded by the Trust and the other by NCMT. To promote learning in the so-called STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), yet another relationship has been formed, this time between the Thomas Gerald Gray Charitable Trust and the Arkwright Scholarships Trust. This sees awards made to students throughout the UK who aspire to a career in engineering and related areas of design. Scholarships consist of an annual financial award to the student and to his or her school, and a range of enrichment activities that increase understanding of engineering and the world of work, such as mentoring and industry visits.