With less than a week to go before the doors open on the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair (5/2/24) at the First Direct Arena, the city’s manufacturing sector has ensured it will be strongly represented at the annual event, which is the biggest of its kind in England.
Thousands of school and college students attend the annual event, taking place during National Apprenticeship Week, where they get to meet employers face-to-face and find out more about apprenticeships and career opportunities with the city’s employers.
Leeds manufacturers MPM, Leeds Welding Company, Kirkstall Precision Engineering, Greyhound Box, Sound Leisure, Bensons Control Panels, AW Hainsworth, LBBC and OPM Labels & Packaging – are exhibiting together on the Leeds Manufacturing Festival exhibition stand alongside festival sponsors E3 Recruitment.
Brandon Medical, Rosemont Pharmaceuticals, Sulzer, ACS Stainless, The Boot Repair Company and Pland Stainless will also be exhibiting in their own right.
The recruitment fair is organised by Leeds City Council’s employment and skills team and is one of a series of flagship careers events hosted throughout the year at the First Direct Arena.
Ben Wilson, managing director of MPM and chair of Leeds Manufacturing Alliance said: “It’s fantastic to have such a broad range of manufacturing employers represented at the event. It highlights the range of opportunities that careers in manufacturing present.
MPM manufactures a range of glass reinforced plastic mouldings for the automotive, utilities, leisure and retail sectors, involving a combination of technical and practical ‘hands on’ skills.
Ben added: “Careers in manufacturing offer great opportunities in technical, professional and managerial roles but it’s vital to the future of our sector that young people joining the workforce are equipped with those practical ‘hands-on’ skills as well.”
Specialist printing firm OPM Labels and Packaging exhibited with the Leeds Manufacturing Festival for the first time this year and have since teamed up with Temple Moor High School to offer work experience placements for students.
Joint managing director Chris Ellison, pictured left with his wife Susan Ellison, said: “We were asked if we’d like to share a stall with Leeds Manufacturing Festival again at the 2024 Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair!
“Our answer was yes, of course! We never turn down an opportunity to talk about print and inspire the next generation.
“We’re excited to meet this year’s attendees, so make sure you visit us on our exhibition stand (D56). You will learn more about us, our apprenticeships, our open days and our enthusiastic team. If you are unable to attend but want to learn more about our apprenticeships or open days, drop us an e-mail at StartYourJourney@opmgroup.co.uk."
