Manufacturing has two finalists in National Apprenticeship Awards

As a result of their excellence in training apprentices, Oldbury based Metsec Plc and London based Kesslers International have been named as finalists, both for the second time since 2005. The Awards, now in their fourth year, are hosted by the LSC and are designed to recognise the hard work and commitment of young people currently on, or who have recently completed, an Apprenticeship, and employers who are successfully using Apprenticeships to improve business performance. Metsec Plc, a steel manufacturing company, has been named a contender for the for Large Employer of the Year for the second time since 2005. Metsec has trained 36 apprentices over the past five years and staff turnover is currently at a 10 year low, which the company attributes to their Apprenticeship programme, as employees realise how committed the company is to training and development of its workforce. Kesslers International (pictured), a successful integrated design and manufacturing organisation, were Highly Commended in the 2005 Awards and return as a finalist in 2007. The company has a huge variety of processes which range from thermoforming, extruding and laser cutting plastics, processing sheet metal and wood, decorating and assembly.