News

Qualifications - "Just go for it" says Michael

A love of cycling and cycle maintenance led Computer Numerical Control Machinist Michael, into his engineering career and qualifications. He joined us as an apprentice and hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal since.

After starting as an apprentice nearly five years ago, he completed his NVQ and is now being sponsored by Langstone Engineering to take his HNC. After that, he’s thinking ahead and plans to do an HND. He is keeping an open mind on the future and a possible move into management.

Go for it

His advice to anyone thinking about gaining engineering qualifications is “Just do it and keep on going so your learning stays fresh”. He says it and he does it. “I’d say to anyone who might be hesitant about taking work related qualifications is just go for it. It's really not that daunting once you do it, especially when you have an encouraging, supportive company and colleagues around you,” he said. He’d already taken the first steps in his engineering career when he joined us as he’d studied for his Level 3 in Mechanical Engineering at local HSDC Havant and South Downs College. Every year, we take on new apprentices and he applied, with his sights set on learning more and developing his career.

New ownership brings renewed commitment to education

Michael enjoys the fast-paced environment. And when the business came under new ownership in May 2021, it brought a new commitment to supporting employees in further education. It's a step he was pleased to take. “I wanted to do more and keep my learning fresh because I think it’s harder if you have breaks in between as you have to relearn all the disciplines of study each time. I was really pleased when my manager put me forward for the HNC which I’m due to complete in 2024 and I’ve done other training as well like the Hypermill CAD, so I never feel like I’m standing still,” he explained.

Supporting our employees to develop skills

Faye Norris, Group HR Manager for Langstone Engineering and group company Tamworth-based Precision Technologies International said:

“Supporting all our employees to develop their skills through education and training is embedded in our philosophy, as is ensuring they have a professional and friendly work environment in which they can flourish. On a personal level for myself and many colleagues, it’s also really rewarding to see Michael and others developing their skills and growing in confidence as talented, highly skilled people and engineering leaders of the future,” she said.

Please send an email with the subject ‘Careers’ to fayen@ptiltd.co.uk - HR at our group company PTI  and we’ll be in touch. Read more about our recent event for our apprentices

Apprenticeship Experience - Frances

This National Apprenticeship Week, one of our apprentices has shared her experience and advice for anyone considering a career in engineering. What does it take to start out on an apprenticeship journey and what’s it really like?

Frances is one of seven apprentices at Langstone Engineering and started her four-year apprenticeship in September of 2022. She’s the first in her family to develop a career in engineering, which stems from her love of aviation.  “I’ve always been interested in planes and that led me to do work experience with a locally-based aviation company. This also gave me an insight into how an engineering company like this would work. I didn’t know at that point where it might lead,” she said. 

Training

She went to PETA , a leading training provider in Hampshire which provides apprenticeship programmes in conjunction with business and industry.   “I was looking for the chance to develop my practical skills. I now work in an environment which helps me do that. The fact that our engineering can help to make things like cars and planes work was really appealing. An inspection role came up as part of the apprenticeship at Langstone Engineering and I went for it,” she explained. 

Experience

Frances attends college one day a week and now works as part of the skilled precision engineering team at Langstone Engineering. Even though she has only been in her apprenticeship for a few months, she’s developed the skills and confidence to program and operate a CNC CMM without support, delivering complex component quality reports to customer requirements.  But she’s already planning her next steps. 

Career Progression

“The support and training I’m getting has definitely helped my confidence. I’m finding out about other aspects of engineering too. My apprenticeship is opening doors and the chance to feel I’m getting a great start to my career. I’m getting to do more complex work and that’s satisfying. I’d like to learn about the different software, tooling and programming next,” she added.  Would you like to find out more about an apprenticeship and career opportunities with Langstone Engineering in Portsmouth? Please send an email with the subject ‘Apprenticeship’ to recruitment@ptiltd.co.uk and we’ll be in touch. [caption id="attachment_983" align="alignnone" width="900"] Frances was among the Langstone Engineering apprentices to celebrate their achievements with company directors James Nicklin (fourth from right) and Lee Wardall (third from right).[/caption]

Apprentices - Skills For Life

At Langstone Engineering and our sister company Precision Technologies (PTI), there’s been an extra special celebration to mark National Apprenticeship Week.

Apprentices from both companies joined a ‘Skills for Life’ forum with senior members of the management team to share their experiences of their apprenticeships, the skills they are developing and what’s ahead in the future.  Two employees who are studying for HNC following completion of their apprenticeship also joined the meeting and shared valuable advice with the current apprentices as well as talking about skills they have gained and hope to build upon in the future.  

There are currently 13 apprentices at two precision engineering companies within the Precision Engineering Solutions Group and it’s part of the Group’s commitment to investing in training and development for all employees, says James Nicklin, Group Managing Director. 12 apprenticeships are in engineering and one of the apprentices is in the finance side of the business.

“We operate in a highly skilled and fast-paced industry, using technology and equipment that’s constantly evolving and it’s essential that we support and invest in all employees at every level so we can all succeed. Our apprentices are the engineers of the future and we’re committed to helping them achieve.  We’re impressed every day by their dedication, determination and willingness to go further and we wanted to use this week to celebrate that,” he said.

Group HR Manager Faye Norris, led the session and she said:

“This forum was a first for us and it was really useful to have feedback so that we can plan more ways to support their development of skills and knowledge for a rewarding career ahead. They are a vital part of our ongoing programme to develop a talented workforce that’s fully equipped with skills for the future."  

During the session, the apprentices were given the opportunity to talk about the most useful skills they have learned, offer advice for others considering an apprenticeship and what skills they would like to develop.

The apprentices also heard words of encouragement in feedback from their line managers during the session. Including

• • “He has shown tenacity in taking on one of the most complex machining processes on site.

  •  “She is able to program and operate a CNC CMM without support delivering complex component quality reports to customer requirements.”

  •  “His attitude and willingness to learn and positive nature has allowed him to support other personnel on a variety of projects. This is appreciated by the colleagues he works with.”

  • “He is gaining skills to be able to confidently program and manufacture components on equipment that he had no experience with before joining us.”

If you’re reading this and would like to find out more about an apprenticeship and career opportunities with PTI at Tamworth or Langstone Engineering in Portsmouth, please send an email with the subject ‘Apprenticeship’ to recruitment@ptiltd.co.uk and we’ll be in touch.