Arden Group celebrates apprenticeships on World Youth Skills Day

Posted on: Thursday, July 14th, 2022

The Arden Group is celebrating the success of our apprenticeship programme to mark World Youth Skills Day.

Friday, July 15 is World Youth Skills Day – an international campaign from the United Nations to celebrate the importance of equipping young people with the right skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

Arden runs a successful apprenticeship programme, particularly within our die-making division, where apprentices learn everything they need to know about the die-making industry; covering a range of disciplines including CAD, CNC, die-making and Quality.

One of our newest apprentices is 21-year-old Sam Chesworth.

Sam joined our sister company Arden Dies last year and has been supported to take on an apprenticeship in engineering alongside his day job.

He said: “Arden has supported me to do an apprenticeship, which I started at the beginning of the year, and I’m really enjoying it. I’m quite a hands-on person anyway and engineering is something I’ve always wanted to do, so it’s a really great opportunity for me to learn more skills and continue to progress my career.”

Sam is doing a three-year Engineering apprenticeship, spending one day per week with training provider SETA, where he is working towards a BTEC Level 3 qualification, learning essential engineering skills including hand-fitting tools, machining and electricals.

At Arden, Sam works on the shop floor operating our CNC milling machines.

He added: “I would really recommend the apprenticeship route because you get double the experience. You’re learning skills in the workplace and you’re learning through the apprenticeship, plus you get paid as well, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Sarah Poynter, operations manager at Arden Engraving, added: “Here at Arden, we’re strong advocates of apprenticeships, which have huge benefits for both apprentices and businesses. Young people can gain valuable skills, experience and qualifications while still taking home a wage, while it enables businesses to build their future workforce.

“We’d urge any young people who are thinking about an apprenticeship to consider the packaging and print industries. From mechanical engineering to software development, this sector provides a wealth of opportunities for young people to build themselves a bright career within a booming industry.”