A total of 50 students undertaking a range of BTEC engineering courses at Dudley College recently spent time at Walsall-based automation and electronic control specialist PP Electrical Systems (
www.powerpanels.uk.com) to gain shopfloor experience and access the latest technology.
They received a guided tour of the firm’s 40,000ft2 facility and saw how machines used in the production of automotive components, food packaging, printing and telecommunications are built and then shipped to customers across the world.
There was also the opportunity for the students to team up with PP Electrical employees and take part in a challenge that encouraged them to implement 5S workplace organisation methodology into a process to boost performance.
Ian Knight, director of operational excellence at the West Midlands firm, said: “Manufacturers have been guilty of doing too much talking about the skills shortage and not taking positive action themselves.
"Like many companies, we are growing and have to look at ways of getting more engineers into the recruitment pipeline. With this in mind, we’ve designed a number of work-experience days to ‘lift the lid’ on what manufacturing is like, in a bid to cement career choices and show future engineers the different type of jobs available to them.”
Dudley College’s Helen Boden said: “We are always looking to engage with more manufacturers so that we can bring studies to life. PP Electrical Systems offers a world-class facility and combines investment in its people with investment in automation and new technology to be a market leader.
"Our students have really taken to the visits so far, with comments such as ‘I thought manufacturing was a dirty job, but it was not’ and ‘It has helped me make an informed decision on what part of engineering I want to work in’.”
PP Electrical Systems, which is a member of the Midlands Assembly Network, is looking to increase its turnover to £20 million this year and to create 20 new jobs.