Yamazaki Mazak (www.mazakeu.com) has been named Employer of the Year at the 2018 Industrial Cadets Awards, beating the likes of Airbus, the RAF and Tata Consultancy Services. The event was held in the Kelvin Lecture Theatre at the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Savoy Place facility in London on 7 March.

The awards — presented by HRH The Prince of Wales — celebrate the achievements of young people who have completed their nationally accredited work-based experience programmes, as well as the vital input, support and efforts of businesses, employers and education organisations.

One of just two accolades open to employers, the Employer of the Year award recognises companies that have demonstrated outstanding engagement with young people and the Industrial Cadets initiative, as well as illustrating best practice in employer engagement with the work experience STEM agenda.

Dave Barnett, learning and development manager at Yamazaki Mazak, said: “To be awarded Top Employer by such a prestigious organisation is a real testament to Mazak’s commitment to the next generation of engineers.

“Since its inception, the Industrial Cadets has formed an integral element of our engagement strategy with young people in secondary education.

“We have been privileged to work closely with a number of local schools over the past few years, welcoming them to our European Manufacturing Plant and Technology Centre to give them first-hand experience of some of the latest metal-cutting technologies.

“Mazak will continue to do everything it can to showcase manufacturing in an exciting and positive light for young people today.”

The Industrial Cadets initiative was inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2010, with a view to encouraging manufacturing and engineering companies to engage more with young people.

It offers a number of different programmes, and several thousand people have taken part to date.

Throughout the year, Mazak works with six to eight schools, taking on around 30-40 students in total through the scheme.

Two past Industrial Cadets have been recruited as full-time employed apprentices at Mazak, and a further five Industrial Cadets have applied for the 2018 intake.