Member Article

Gestamp Tallent signs up In-Comm Training for Apprenticeship boost

One of the world’s largest suppliers of metal components for the automotive sector has appointed In-Comm as its preferred Apprenticeship training provider.

Cannock-based Gestamp Tallent, which has recently opened a second factory in Four Ashes in Wolverhampton, currently has 11 apprentices at the Aldridge firm’s state-of the-art academy on the trailblazer mechatronics and toolmaking courses.

It is part of the company’s desire to bridge the skills gap and address an ageing workforce, with the plan to recruit another 30 apprentices over the next three years as it looks to maximise increases in volumes with all the major car manufacturers in the UK and Europe.

“We want to work with a partner that understands where we are going as a business and can deliver the level of quality training that will produce engineers that have an immediate impact within the business,” explained Julian Nicholas, Training Controller at Gestamp Tallent.

“After a competitive tender that involved more than 10 providers we decided to appoint In-Comm to work with all of our apprentices. This involves helping us recruit them, shaping the training and then ensuring they are learning on equipment that is relevant to them.”

He continued: “All of our apprentices spend eighteen months full-time at the academy and then they join us, with one-day college release per week. This is the type of intensive development that you saw in the late 70s and one we are very much in favour of. Yes, it’s a longer-term vision, but one that will reap dividends over the next few years.”

In-Comm - recently awarded ‘Outstanding’ rating by Ofsted - has worked with Gestamp Tallent for over a decade, providing upskilling courses and consultancy on compliance and business improvement techniques.

The apprenticeship contract is one of a number of recent wins this year for the firm, which has also seen it play an instrumental role in the launch of the Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology in Bridgnorth.

This £4m world class hub means it now operates three academies with further satellite workshops opening through its partnership with the Engineering Technology Group.

Gareth Jones, joint Managing Director of In-Comm Training, commented: “There is an industry-wide desire for more robust apprenticeship programmes and our work with Gestamp Tallent reflects that.

“We sat down with the team and looked at the right courses, before jointly tailoring them to reflect some individual elements that they needed covered. It’s all about listening to the employer and ensuring we deliver the skills support they need…not what we think they may want.”

He continued: “This approach has been taken a step further when we invited Julian to attend an open forum on our new £1.5m extension set to open in February.

“Gestamp – along with twenty other clients – discussed what type of machinery/technology they would like to see being installed and we have acted on this by equipping the workshop with our first wire EDM machine, 5-axis CNC machine tools with Halter automation, ABB robotics and the latest metrology equipment from Hexagon.”

In-Comm has been offering industry and commerce a wide range of training and business solutions for 35 years.

The firm has a proven track record as a specialist engineering training academy, developing engineering apprentices skilled for the needs of the employer base through its range of specialist packages.

Other areas of training and development cover management development, health and safety, quality assurance, business improvement techniques, lean manufacturing, business support and specialist skills courses.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .