Siemens UK launches junior factory for apprentices

The junior factory will manufacture a sub-assembly for supply into production, which were previously imported and will represent a re-shoring of domestic manufacturing. The team will be responsible for sourcing and supply chain management, production of sub-assemblies, quality management, budgeting and transfer pricing alongside performance management. The apprentices will take on leadership roles and will be responsible for factory's progress. The initiative will be open to all apprentices and graduates as part of Siemens' dedicated plans to train young people not just in the critical field of engineering but also in real business management. The facility was opened by Siemens UK and Ireland chief executive Roland Aurich. He said: "The aims are very clear – let's train up our young apprentices for the long-term challenges they will face in their careers whilst fostering a culture of innovation, autonomy and crucially - entrepreneurship. "We need to make a bold statement in Siemens and across industry – be an engineering apprentice and you can go from the shop floor to the top floor and schemes like this help young people understand how an engineering apprenticeship can lead to a rewarding career." Siemens has appointed a head of the junior factory and the team has written a business case about how they see the factory working, which was presented to the senior management board earlier in the year. Initially, the junior factory will be responsible for the complete supply chain for assembly of fans for use within Siemens G120C drives and the team will have complete ownership for the value chain: planning, sourcing, assembly and delivery of finished product to the line. Richard Lawton an apprentice who is acting as the head of the junior factory, said: "I never thought that as part of an apprenticeship I would be given the opportunity to take on this level of responsibility - not just training and learning but actually running the facility as a business. I am really looking forward to working with the team members and making the project a success over the coming year, and learning about how running a full assembly line works in practice."