Ed Cartwright has become the first ZOLLER UK apprentice to successfully earn his stripes – and he’s done it a remarkable 12 months ahead of schedule.
The 20-year-old has spent the last two years learning on the job under a partnership between the JCB Academy and ZOLLER UK’s parent company the Carfulan Group.
The programme has offered Ed a unique insight into the world-leading tool presetting, inspection and management technologies that ZOLLER UK supplies to customers across the UK.
Having completed a range of assessments in subjects as diverse as mechanical engineering, mathematics and electronics, he has now been recognised with an Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Engineering Manufacture (Engineering Technical Support), achieving the qualification a whole year before target.
That has enabled him to take up a position as a fully fledged Service Engineer with ZOLLER UK, and he is already regularly out on the road offering support to customers.
Ed, who lives in Shardlow, Derbyshire, said: “It’s nice to have finished the course and to be able to crack on with the job now, with nothing holding you back.
“I’ve got to put in as much effort as I can, get a good amount of experience under my belt and see where it takes me.
“It’s a professional but relaxed working environment at the Carfulan Group, with everyone happy to talk to you and give you their time.”
Cameron Reeves, who has been training alongside Ed, has earned the same apprenticeship qualification, meaning he is now a Trainee Applications Engineer with OGP UK, the longest-established of the Carfulan Group’s five businesses and a supplier of optical and multi-sensor metrology solutions.
The Carfulan Group has a trio of other apprentices well into a three-year specialised programme designed to develop their formal engineering knowledge and skills.
Working alongside experienced professionals, they are gaining invaluable knowledge in areas such as health and safety, computer-aided design (CAD) software techniques and machine installation and calibration.
This is delivered through both practical and theoretical methods, ensuring apprentices develop the wide range of skills they will need to succeed in an engineering career.
Carfulan Group Managing Director Chris Fulton said: “We have a successful track record of investing in local talent and helping it to come to fruition in an engineering environment.
“Cameron and Ed have already proved themselves to be valuable members of the team and, thanks to their dedication and strong work ethic, it’s no surprise to us that they’ve secured their qualifications so quickly.
“They should be very proud of themselves – we’re certainly very proud of them.”