Coventry-based Sarginsons (www.sarginsons.com), an aluminium die-casting specialist, recently played host to 15 students from the local WMG Academy.

Die-casting is the process of forcing molten metal into a die under pressure to make components for a range of industries.

The company, which employs 75 people, has been at the forefront of aluminium die-casting for 80 years and is one of the few European companies to offer low-pressure die-casting, sand casting and gravity die-casting in a single foundry.

The company is renowned for its excellence in the field of automotive lightweighting, and the company counts some of the most respected names in the automotive, petrochemical, energy and engineering sectors among its clients.

The students saw some of the processes in action and also had the chance to get some ‘hands-on’ experience — from performing quality checks on incoming raw materials through to carrying out inspections of cast and forged components.

Each student spent around 1.5hr at the company as part of their metallurgy coursework.

Andrew Kyprianou, head of the Engineering and Design faculty at the WMG Academy, said: “Giving young people the opportunity to see what goes on in the world of work is a huge part of our school ethos, and we are fortunate to have outstanding companies such as Sarginsons in our area, where we can give them a real-life experience.”

The visit will help Sarginsons to select students that it will sponsor on advanced apprenticeships in foundry, casting and pattern-making.

The apprenticeships will be completed at the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills (at the University of Wolverhampton).

Anthony Evans, managing director of Sarginsons, said: “The WMG Academy is a fantastic place to learn, and we are delighted to support the school and its students as they look to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world of work.

“Hopefully, they found it interesting and helpful, and it may also have given them a new perspective on which career path they wish to follow.”