Around 60 students from local schools and colleges attended Shearline Precision Engineering’s Ely factory to attend ‘teach-ins’ sessions. 

The sessions arranged to celebrate National Manufacturing Day enabled several of the students involved to express an interest in applying for the company's apprenticeship initiative. 

The students were Year 10 and 11 pupils from Soham Village College and Ely College. 

Following tours of the factory, former apprentice, Harry Clark, talked to the students about his own journey in the industry. He joined Shearline five years ago and is now a programmer/setter/operator in the machine shop. 

Ely Standard: The students were Year 10 and 11 pupils from Soham Village College and Ely College. The students were Year 10 and 11 pupils from Soham Village College and Ely College. (Image: Shearline Precision Engineering)

In the machine shop, Simon Cooper, production manager of the company’s machine shop, showed students the journey of a machined part from receipt of drawing through to coming off the machine. 

They were also given an insight into Shearline’s fabrications capabilities, and each student was able to build their own sheet metal dinosaur from a kit of parts. 

At subsidiary company Shearline Hybrid Laser Tech, a specialist in laser cutting and engraving, each student typed their name into a laser marking machine to personalise a pen. 

Ely Standard: The sessions arranged to celebrate National Manufacturing Day enabled several of the students involved to express an interest in applying for the company's apprenticeship initiative. The sessions arranged to celebrate National Manufacturing Day enabled several of the students involved to express an interest in applying for the company's apprenticeship initiative. (Image: Shearline Precision Engineering)

And at the company’s ShearXL facility, manager Spencer Curtis outlined the division’s castings capability for Formula One cars and motorsport generally. 

A spokesperson for Shearline said: “Through the event, Shearline was responding to a UK crisis which sees the need to recruit 1.8 million new engineers by 2025.  

Demand for apprentice engineers has doubled in the past six years and tripled in the past 12 and Shearline, which takes on several apprentices on an annual basis, already has active programmes with several schools in its catchment but managing director Jon Littlechild is stepping up the strategy.” 

Ely Standard: In the machine shop, Simon Cooper, production manager of the company’s machine shop, showed students the journey of a machined part from receipt of drawing through to coming off the machine. In the machine shop, Simon Cooper, production manager of the company’s machine shop, showed students the journey of a machined part from receipt of drawing through to coming off the machine. (Image: Shearline Precision Engineering)

Shearline’s National Manufacturing Day effort built on long-term relationships with Soham and Ely Colleges as well as Bishop Laney Sixth Form, Kings Ely, Bottisham, Littleport and Witchford schools. 

Ely Standard: They were also given an insight into Shearline’s fabrications capabilities, and each student was able to build their own sheet metal dinosaur from a kit of parts. They were also given an insight into Shearline’s fabrications capabilities, and each student was able to build their own sheet metal dinosaur from a kit of parts. (Image: Shearline Precision Engineering)

Ely Standard: Following tours of the factory, former apprentice, Harry Clark, talked to the students about his own journey in the industry.Following tours of the factory, former apprentice, Harry Clark, talked to the students about his own journey in the industry. (Image: Shearline Precision Engineering)