The engineering firm which employs over 480 people worldwide, and exports engineering solutions to blue chip clients across key industries, recently opened its doors once again to local students and their parents as part of a unique open evening.
The Nylacast Engineering Academy actively promotes engineering careers to a wide audience across the region by engaging with local educational institutes from schools and colleges to universities. As part of these activities, the plastics firm has joined up with another two organisations to improve links between industry and academia.
Local non-profit organisation Leicestershire Cares, of which Nylacast is a member, introduced Nylacast to Beaumont Leys School in 2013. The organisation runs numerous employability projects, including mock interview sessions.
Some of the joint efforts and activities at Nylacast taking place across the academic year range from onsite careers fairs and industry work experience placements through to site tours for staff, pupils and parents and even "introneering", a new concept created by Nylacast to deliver one-week placements and condensed apprenticeship tasters to students thinking of entering the world of engineering.
Colin Cole, futures advisor at Beaumont Leys School comments: "I have seen a greater interest in engineering in the school. I think Nylacast is unique in that it is willing to work with sixteen-year-old school leavers as apprentices, who sometimes are not the finished mature person. Nonetheless, given time and training they have the skill set to go on to become the next generation of engineers, given the nurturing and inspiring environment wrapped around them by the company."
Ian Mallabone, Nylacast group HR and training manager comments: "It is vital that more companies open doors to local schools and help to bridge the gap between industry and academia. As a business we are very passionate about supporting the local community, and if we give an opportunity to just one student or even guide them to make a more decisive career choice then the work that we do with the school has served a purpose. The relationship that we have built up over the past few years has benefitted both Nylacast and the school but more importantly the people within them."
Nylacast continues to grow its training and development programmes locally and is recruiting for four to six CNC engineering apprenticeship positions with an August 2016 start date. The company, which also launched its blossoming graduate development programme in January 2015, will also be recruiting for new graduate materials engineer candidates in 12 months’ time.
