Siemens UK has opened a Junior Factory for apprentices

The first Junior Factory for commercial and technical apprentices aged 16 – 21 has been opened by Siemens UK at its award winning facility in Congleton, launched during the UK Government’s flagship ‘Tomorrows Engineers Week’. The apprentices will be responsible for the factory’s progress and will take on leadership roles. The initiative will be open to all apprentices and graduates as part of Siemens’ plans to train young people.

The Junior Factory will manufacture a sub-assembly for supply into production, which were previously imported and will represent a re-shoring of domestic manufacturing. The team at the factory will be responsible for sourcing and supply chain management, production of sub-assemblies, quality management, budgeting and transfer pricing alongside performance management.

“This is a really innovative project, and the aims are very clear – let’s train up our young apprentices for the long-term challenges they will face in their careers whilst fostering a culture of innovation, autonomy and crucially – entrepreneurship,” said Roland Aurich, CEO of Siemens UK and Ireland.

Initially the Junior Factory will be responsible for the complete supply chain for assembly of fans for use within Siemens G120C drives, and the team will have complete ownership for the value chain: planning, sourcing, assembly and delivery of finished product to the line.

The apprentices will also be responsible for resourcing the factory and ensuring that customer demands are fulfilled in the most cost effective way. Appropriate quality checks should be implemented within the process to ensure that quality products are delivered. The team will also be responsible for the creation of an annual budget for the factory. This will include a presentation to the senior management team for approval of the costs and a productivity challenge will be given to the Junior Factory on an annual basis.

“This ground-breaking project is a great opportunity for tomorrow’s engineers to get the training and experience they need to establish a successful career,” said Mathew Hancock MP, Minister for Skills at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. “The Junior Factory demonstrates the great contribution apprentices can make to businesses and is a fantastic example of how we can innovate to plug skills gaps and help the UK get ahead in the global race.”

Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/08112013/siemens_uk_have_opened_a_junior_factory_for_apprentices_396/