Continued Investment In Skills at DavyMarkham

Four years on from re-establishing its apprenticeship scheme, heavy engineering company DavyMarkham is continuing its commitment to traditional skills training for young people.

The Sheffield-based company, which makes the large equipment used in the mining, quarrying, power generation, oil and gas, and nuclear sectors, was acquired by IVRCL subsidiary Hindustan Dorr Oliver (HDO) earlier this year.

The Sheffield-based company, which makes the large equipment used in the mining, quarrying, power generation, oil and gas, and nuclear sectors, was acquired by IVRCL subsidiary Hindustan Dorr Oliver (HDO) earlier this year.

Pictured - L-R Kevin Parkin – Managing Director, DavyMarkham Ltd; Andrew Proctor – Apprentice Machinist, DavyMarkham Ltd; Paul Reeves – Business Development Director, Brinsworth Training; Simon O’Mare - Apprentice Machinist, DavyMarkham Ltd; Ben Williams -Apprentice Machinist, DavyMarkham Ltd; Pete Kerfoot – Apprentice Training Supervisor, DavyMarkham Ltd.

Managing Director Kevin Parkin said “Having one of the largest heavy engineering facilities in the world, with computer controlled machine tools and design facilities, in addition to the ability to handle complex components with a weight of up to 350 tonnes DavyMarkham survival depends on well trained and highly skilled people century skills passed from experienced workers to apprentices which is the only way of properly training highly skilled engineers”.

The company forecasts that 20 per cent of its shopfloor workers will be apprentices by 2012. In Autumn 2007, the first cohort of seven apprentices started a three-to-four year programme, which will lead to NVQ Level 3 and BTEC diploma qualifications.

The scheme has a strong local content and involves external training delivered by Brinsworth Training of Rotherham and will also utilise the skills of internal staff at DavyMarkham. Kevin added “We came to Brinsworth as they are a provider that delivers quality training for our engineers and they have worked hard with us to remove the bureaucracy that often comes with funded training”.

Business Development Director at Brinsworth Training Paul Reeves said “We are delighted to be working with Kevin and his team on this important investment in their future workforce. Our innovative delivery partnership is a fantastic example of how we can work collaboratively with employers to meet their exact needs”.

The company is now finalising the recruitment of further trainees for the next intake this September.

Over the years many of the company’s apprentices have continued with further education long after completion of the apprenticeship program, in some cases to degree level and full acceptance with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers to Corporate Membership.