Wakefield manufacturer Group Rhodes recently welcomed The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, alongside local MP Simon Lightwood, to its premises at Calder Vale to discuss how apprenticeships can better meet the needs of the advanced engineering sector.
As part of the visit, Group Rhodes’ CEO, Mark Ridgway OBE DL gave a presentation on the business and discussed how the shortage of skilled engineers coming into the industry was arguably the biggest threat faced by the UK manufacturing sector.
Bridget Phillipson and Simon Lightwood were then given a factory tour of the company’s business divisions: Craven Fawcett, Rhodes Interform, BJD Crushers and Hallamshire Engineering Services. On the tour the special guests met with three employees who had undertaken apprenticeships at Group Rhodes and discussed their experiences. The Secretary of State was also shown machinery ready to be exported to the USA and a batch of three Composite Presses ready for delivery into the UK aerospace sector.
CEO of Group Rhodes Mark Ridgway said: “We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State to our facility and to discuss the beneficial impact of investment in higher level skilled apprenticeships. Like many engineering companies, we face a skills shortage as older employees retire, and it becomes increasingly difficult to attract talented young engineers.”
During the visit, Group Rhodes stressed the importance of higher-level apprenticeships in increasing the UK’s international competitiveness and the need for Skills England to engage more closely with SME businesses. The company also welcomed the Apprenticeship Levy reform, and the establishment of the Growth and Skills Levy.
On the subject of local skills, Mark Ridgway also mentioned the Wakefield Futures Report on Skills, due to be released on 10th September and for which he is a Commissioner under the Chairmanship of Sir Chris Husbands.
Mark added: “The ability for young people to retrain through higher apprenticeship programmes and the re-skilling of mid-career individuals is essential for an advanced engineering sector facing a major skills shortage. Further investment in higher level apprenticeships would bring major benefits to UK manufacturing that as a sector competes on a global scale.”
Simon Lightwood MP said: “I have visited Group Rhodes on a couple of occasions and continue to be impressed by the innovation and technical advancements that can clearly be seen here. It was particularly useful to hear about the challenges the industry is facing and the ideas that Group Rhodes has on the creation of more high-level employment opportunities in both Wakefield and further afield.”
After the tour Mark Ridgway, on behalf of the UK’s Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), invited the Secretary of State to attend MACH 2026, the manufacturing technology show. MACH26 offers a major Education and Development (E&D) zone, promoting industry apprenticeships and highlighting the opportunities that are available to aspiring young engineers.
