Carfulan Group (www.carfulan.com), a South Derbyshire engineering specialist, has built on the success of its partnership with the Rocester-based JCB Academy by taking on a new apprentice.

Charlie Warrington (pictured) is the latest arrival at the group’s premises in Foston, where the Advanced Innovation Centre provides an insight into the world-leading technology that it supplies to designers and manufacturers.

This is done through three divisions — OGP UK, SYS Systems and Zoller UK — that cover the supply and servicing of multi-sensor inspection equipment, 3-D printing and tool pre-setting and measurement, as well as turned-part measurement solutions.

Charlie, joins three other apprentices at Carfulan who are now 12 months into a three-year programme designed to develop their formal engineering knowledge and skills.

They must all attend the JCB Academy during two of their three years to acquire general engineering certification, with an additional year following their initial training to gain an NVQ qualification.

He said: “3-D printing is an area I’m really interested in, and I’m keen to find out a lot more about it. It’s nice to get hands-on; I’m just focusing on learning all I can about the machines.”

Working alongside experienced professionals, the apprentices are gaining invaluable knowledge on health and safety, advanced mathematics, computer-aided design and machine installation and calibration.

This is delivered through both practical and theoretical methods, ensuring that the apprentices develop the wide range of skills they will need to succeed in an engineering career.

Andrew Fulton, managing director and founder of the Carfulan Group, took the apprenticeship route himself and is a big believer in its merits.

He said: “Derbyshire is a globally recognised hub for manufacturing. Working with JCB and its top-class facilities, we’re only too happy to be able to invest in local talent and help nurture the next generation of engineers.”