Acres Engineering has won a King’s Award for Enterprise in the Promoting Opportunity category, recognising its work to create engineering career routes for people from disadvantaged, non-traditional, and under-represented backgrounds.
The Melbourne, Derbyshire-based manufacturer received the award for its People’s First Pledge, a long-term commitment covering recruitment, onboarding, training, staff development, and outreach. The company has provided apprenticeships to more than 100 people and continues to support continual professional development across its workforce.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise recognise UK business achievement across innovation, international trade, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity through social mobility. Acres Engineering was one of 186 UK organisations recognised in 2026.
Alice Parker, who founded and leads the People’s First Pledge at Acres Engineering, said: “There aren’t words to describe what an honour it is for us all at Acres Engineering to have won the King’s Award. Our People’s First Pledge and the care taken at Acres over developing our apprentices and staff has been recognised with the highest accolade this country can bestow.”
The pledge supports candidates who may have limited academic achievement, limited exposure to industry, or barriers to conventional recruitment pathways. Acres Engineering’s outreach includes work experience, school factory tours, and activity days, alongside internal career development across fabrication, CAD, design, marketing, finance, and business strategy.
“We understand that circumstances shouldn’t define a person’s future, and we create space for talent to thrive,” Parker said. “The pledge is embedded across recruitment, onboarding, training, and daily operations – championed from managers through to directors.”
The company has cited several progression examples, including a former apprentice supported through an engineering degree while managing dyslexia, and a former workplace student who later established his own engineering business after returning for additional work experience. The approach is rooted in a practical workforce need as much as social purpose, with skilled metal fabrication still facing persistent recruitment challenges.
Acres Managing Director Luke Parker said: “This King’s Award is both a proud and humbling recognition of the years of hard work we’ve invested in our people. Achievements like this don’t happen by chance, they come from real commitment, day in, day out.”
The company also holds Gold Award status under the Armed Forces Covenant, supporting veterans, reservists, and military families. Its People’s First Pledge now carries national recognition at a time when manufacturers are being pushed to build skills pipelines earlier, retain technical staff for longer, and open routes into engineering beyond the usual academic and family networks.
Recipients of a King’s Award are able to use the award emblem for five years and receive a Grant of Appointment. Acres Engineering will receive the award locally from one of The King’s representatives.
