Sheffield Forgemasters has welcomed 23 new apprentices to site for 2024, as its transformation into one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing facilities stimulates demand for new talent.
The successful applicants join the Ministry of Defence (MoD) owned company during a hugely exciting period to participate in its award-winning apprenticeship scheme, where they will receive fully-funded training, working towards a professional qualification whilst getting paid.
Sheffield Forgemasters’ apprentices will start at a variety of levels as the company drives forward with significant investment into new plant and equipment to underpin its delivery of complex components for the UK defence programme, including for the new SSN-AUKUS submarine, which will replace Astute Class vessels.
Emily Wynne, People Development Advisor – Early Careers, at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “We are continuing to seek out the best candidates for our apprenticeships programme as we look to upskill the next generation of employees and to preserve the skills we already have.
“The company’s transformation covers both its physical assets, but equally its skills-set as we move into a high-technology engineering sphere.
“We need to adapt our capabilities to meet the future demands of our defence work, but we are also expanding in areas such as civil nuclear and renewable energy and require a workforce that will be trained to understand and exploit the very different technologies and workplace that recapitalisation will deliver.
“It is great to welcome these new starters to site for the first time and to see so much enthusiasm for their future careers.”
Sheffield Forgemasters is investing heavily over the next ten years to support its defence-critical assets, including a new 13,000 tonne Forge line and building, 17 major machine tool replacements within a new, 30,000m2 machining facility, which will be unmatched outside of the UK.
Emily added: “Sheffield Forgemasters’ apprenticeship programme is recognised as one of the best across the region, and to be able to provide future generations with the opportunity to not only have an exciting, meaningful career with skills which are for life, is extremely rewarding to us.
“As we welcome the new apprentices, we are already working on a recruitment drive for our 2025 apprentice intake, which will be launched in the coming months via the company website and social media channels.”
This year’s apprentices intake covers roles in the following disciplines; Site Services, Machining, Non Destructive Testing, Projects, Quality Control, Work Rolls, IT, Recapitalisation, Distribution, Test House and Finance and includes one degree apprentice, studying Metallurgy at Sheffield Hallam University.
Sheffield Forgemasters specialises in the design and manufacture of high integrity forgings and castings offering end-to-end manufacture for steel production from a single site in the UK.
Global markets served include Defence, Marine, Civil Nuclear, Steel Processing, Offshore, Renewables, Power Generation and Pressure Vessels.