Mazak announces plans to hire 19 new apprentices in Worcester
To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week (Monday 10 to Sunday 16 February), Yamazaki Mazak has announced plans to hire 19 new apprentices at its European Manufacturing Plant in Worcester this year.
The new roles, which will begin in September and run for between three and four years, will cover a variety of technical Level 3 apprenticeships, giving gifted youngsters the opportunity to gain invaluable, hands-on experience in roles such as mechanical and electrical fitting, machining and sheet metal fabrication.
The new intake will contribute to the existing 58 apprentices in Mazak training programmes. Many of the young people who Mazak takes on as apprentices decide to stay with the business long term, undertaking further qualifications to become a Level 4 or Level 6 apprentice, or completing a relevant university degree apprenticeship, such as BSc Supply Chain Management (Professional Practice), or Chartered Manager BSc. This has allowed Mazak to achieve completion and retention rates well above the industry average.
Mazak has gained an outstanding reputation for its apprenticeship scheme, regularly engaging with talented and ambitious young people in the Worcestershire community. In 2024 alone, the business attended more than 30 careers fairs at local schools, provided 36 tours of its factory facilities, offered 36 work placements, and hosted 10 industrial cadet placements (60 pupils in total). As a result of these efforts, and the overall quality of its apprenticeship schemes, Mazak was crowned ‘Apprentice Employer of the Year’ at the Hereford and Worcestershire Group Training Association (HWGTA) awards in November, as well as the ‘Large Apprenticeship Employer of the Year’ and ‘Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year’ at the 2024 Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards.
Max Jones, People Development Manager at Yamazaki Mazak, said: “Whether you’re currently at GCSE or A-Level, have left education and are looking for an exciting new challenge, a Mazak apprenticeship can provide you with the opportunity to develop a career in a number of exciting disciplines.
“The exemplary reputation we’ve gained for our apprenticeship programmes not only helps us to attract the right talent needed to grow our business, but also serves as a testament to the standards of excellence that the Mazak brand is synonymous with across the globe.
“I would encourage anyone interested in gaining experience with the world’s leading machine tools supplier to apply for one of our apprenticeship programmes today.”
Applications for the 19 new apprenticeship positions are now live and will remain open until May, when the selection process begins.
Mazak has now trained more than 250 UK apprentices across a range of disciplines spanning production, service, and business administration.
For further information about Yamazaki Mazak’s apprenticeship opportunities, please visit www.mazakeu.co.uk/apprenticeships/.
