A Derbyshire business is “setting a national benchmark” after winning a major UK award for its trail-blazing work creating opportunities for young people in manufacturing.
Acres Engineering, based in Melbourne, won the Manufacturing Impact category at the MAKE UK National Manufacturing Awards in London in a category which included big hitters such as Siemens Mobility, Sony UK TEC and Safran Nacelles.
Family firm Acres, which employs around 30 people making bespoke engineered products for a wide range of industries including supercars, aerospace, defence, marine, rail and space, was put through to the national event after winning the category regionally last year.
Owners Luke and Alice Parker, who attended the glittering ceremony in the capital with a team from Acres, said they were blown away to win the honour.
Acres Engineering won the award in recognition of the impact of its “People’s Pledge”, a deep commitment to providing opportunities for young people going into engineering through a wide range of work placements and apprenticeships.
The company opens up its factory to hundreds of school children every year with a range of events designed to spark enthusiasm for engineering and manufacturing.
Each year Acres takes on apprentices and provides comprehensive opportunities for advancement by putting candidates through university and career progression within the company, fostering talent in young people who may otherwise face barriers to employment.
The company has employed people who have first set foot there through a work placement opportunity while still at school. Acres is also a Gold Award holder of the Armed Forces Covenant in recognition of its support of the armed forces community.
MAKE UK’s national judging team found Acres’ achievements extremely impressive.
They said: “This company was passionate about their obligation and power to influence. Their wealth of examples of how to go beyond manufacturing to engage and improve the community was impressive. Their work with children, adults and organisations in general shone through and the judges commented that they set the benchmark for us all to aspire to. They are a small family business punching well above their weight, with established values communicated and practised throughout every aspect of the business.”
The MAKE UK National Manufacturing Awards recognise excellence, innovation, growth and impact within the UK’s manufacturing sector.
They are considered among the sector’s most prestigious honours and shine a light on how manufacturing contributes to the UK economy and workforce.
Alice Parker, Head of Human Resources at Acres, said: “We’re absolutely ecstatic we won the award. It means so much. The years of hard work we’ve put in to supporting our communities and our colleagues, bringing apprentices in and students through the door to try and show them what manufacturing really is, encouraging people to reach their full potential – it’s intrinsic to everything we do. It’s who we are and we’ve been recognised which is an amazing feeling.”
Managing director Luke Parker said: “By entering the awards we hope other businesses follow in our footsteps in terms of the contribution that we’ve made to our manufacturing impact. It hopefully shines a light on the true benefits to the wider community by investing in people and the local environment.”
Apprentices working at Acres Engineering said they were delighted at the company’s award win and were extremely grateful for the opportunities to grow their career while earning money at the same time.
Acres currently has nine apprentices working in a range of roles from fabrication to finance of which two of the youngest are 16-year-old Finlee Meakin and Yasmin Yasin-Baines, 17.
Yasmin, who is at the company undertaking a finance-based apprenticeship, said: “I’m really enjoying my role at Acres as I’m not only getting experience in finance, I’m getting experience in multiple other departments and other skills, and they will help me proceed in the future.”
Finlee, an operative apprentice at the firm, said he particularly appreciated the chance to move round different departments at Acres, gaining valuable practical skills in different departments.
Demonstrating career progression at Acres, meanwhile, Ryan Dowling, 22, is now a team leader at the firm after starting out as a fabrications apprentice aged 17 in 2020.
Not just that, Ryan is about to embark on a degree apprenticeship paid for through Acres to advance his career and role in the company further.
“When I first started working here, I was quite shy,” he said. “Through being here I’ve learned not only practical skills but also a lot of people skills too. I just don’t think I’d have been able to have those opportunities if I’d have gone straight to university.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of Acres Engineering by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
