Uni-Mill Engineering

Swindon

Martin Zerebecki

Sales Director

Everything undertaken by the team at Uni-Mill Engineering – a Swindon company serving high-profile aerospace and military clients – is precise, considered, and well-targeted.

So it's hardly surprising that they take the same cautious approach when selecting the people who work for them.

But even Sales Director Martin Zerebecki and the team couldn’t have foreseen just what a good decision they were making when they chose Aaron Rens to be an engineering apprentice four years ago.

For Aaron, 20, has not only completed his apprenticeship with flying colours but has gone on to gain a Foundation Degree in Engineering Systems and is now working towards an Honours Degree.

“We’d previously taken people on as trainees from all walks of life and it worked extremely well,” says Mr Zerebecki. “But the apprenticeship scheme is completely different.

“We were looking for an individual who probably had little or no engineering experience but could display a real desire that engineering was his or her chosen career.  

“We also wanted to ensure we could support an apprenticeship fully. We didn’t want to do it any other way and we don’t believe in taking on apprentices as a cheaper form of labour.”

Apprentices at Uni-Mill receive one-to-one training by its own highly skilled staff.

“Having an apprentice has mutual benefits, because while we’re providing the best training for the apprentice as an individual, the training is also important to our company’s future.

“We were happy to send them to Swindon College because they offered the apprentice support as well.

“We’re looking for the best for the company as well as for the apprentice – and this has worked for all the parties involved. We see it as a triangular training model – with us, the apprentice, and the college all working together.

“We took on Aaron as an apprentice because we saw a spark within him and because we knew there would be a specific role and career we could offer him if he met the criteria.

“All the feedback we have had about him has been positive. He soaks up information like a sponge, he’s worked extremely hard, and he’s continually pushed himself.

“For instance, Aaron’s grades at school were not very good and in particular he wasn’t very good at maths when he came for interview.

“During the interview we explained the importance of maths in engineering today and dropped hints that it might be advantageous if he went off and did a course.
 
“He must have listened to us, as during the few weeks between interviews he’d enrolled at college to take his GCSE maths again, which we are pleased that he passed.”

Mr Zerebecki says it was important to Uni-Mill to treat the apprenticeship seriously.

“It’s worked for us. We have no doubt that Aaron will make it. We’re always wanting to go forward and he is effectively paving the way. He will be in a position to offer support to any one of our apprentices in the future.

“Without any shadow of a doubt our intention is to continue and have other apprentices, one at a time. It’s important for the future of our company to train for the skills we need.”

As for Aaron, he says he’s proud to have started at the bottom and worked his way up – and he attributes some of his success to being at Swindon College.

“I feel I've really grown in confidence, that my opinions are valued and that I can really contribute to a discussion,” he says. “The tutors are all vastly experienced in the industry and are incredibly supportive.

“The thing I'm most proud of is that I'm here now. I never imagined I would be studying towards a degree but I will be enrolling on the top-up year in September to gain my full Honours Degree.”

Swindon College