Cheslyn Hay-based PP Control & Automation (www.ppcanda.com), which specialises in electrical control systems, cable harnesses and sub-contract manufacturing, threw open its doors recently in a bid to attract new staff.

The company hosted its first ever Career Open Days to give individuals considering a future in engineering the chance to see what opportunities there are.

School-leavers, people looking to change professions and people wanting to get back into manufacturing were given a guided tour of the firm’s 40,000ft² facility, the chance to speak with some employees and an overview of current vacancies.

Philip Newell, training and continuous-improvement manager, said: “The last 12 months have been very good for our business, and we have won a lot of new out-sourcing contracts, both at home and abroad.

“In order to cope with this increase in demand, we need to boost the workforce. We are looking to create up to 30 new jobs, ranging from apprentices and shopfloor technicians to logistics specialists and project managers.”

The Open Days attracted 25 people from a range of backgrounds. They were introduced to the company by local training providers, colleges and schools, with all of those attending subsequently applying for one of the firm’s traineeship or apprenticeship roles.