Lift service and manufacturing firm Husbands is raising its own new generation of workers after taking on a second engineering apprentice.
Sixteen-year-old Ben Kelly from Halesowen has joined the 12-strong technical workforce of Husbands which manufactures, supplies, fits and services service and passenger lifts and disability platforms.
Clients include the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the British and French embassies, major banks including HSBC and Nat West and hotels and restaurants such as Pizza Express, La Tasca and Swallow Hotels.
Ben follows in the footsteps of Adam Fellowes - who began his engineering apprentice-ship at Husbands over a year ago. As part of his apprentice-ship Ben is studying NVQ qualifications in engineering at Dudley College.
He will then have the option to continue his studies working up to NVQ level four and study engineering at a far more advanced level.
Keith Holmes, owner and managing director of the company which is located in Shelah Road, Halesowen, says he is delighted to be able to offer apprenticeships to local boys.
He said: "There are so few apprenticeships available especially in subjects such as engineering and we seem to be one of just a handful of companies locally that are willing to invest in training young people to acquire essential skills."
Adam and Husband's technical manager Mark Postans are also continuing their studies with Lift and Escalator Industry Association distance learning courses.
Meanwhile, four young men have completed apprentice-ships with EvoBus (UK).
The Coventry-based firm handles the sales, marketing and aftersales support of all Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses and coaches in the UK.
Michael Brindley, aged 19, works in the parts department, and Eric Black, Shaun Trickett and Ryan Whynmill, all aged 20, are employed in the workshop. Their apprenticeships were organised through the Governmentfunded retail motor industry training provider, ReMIT.
Eric, Shaun, and Ryan have all completed the passenger carrying vehicles apprentice-ship scheme which has involved attending Tile Hill College in Coventry for three years, plus regular workplace assessments by the college. This has also been supple-mented by various manufacturer training courses.
As part of their ongoing development they are currently working at EvoBus Fleet Operations based in Waterloo, London, in order to appreciate some of the difficulties encountered by large bus operators in a very congested capital city.
For over two years Michael has attended City College, Birmingham, for one week every month, and has also received regular visits from his ReMIT tutor while at work at EvoBus. ..SUPL:
