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Please see below for our news library:
New Release: May 2010 Boom times for electrical courses in Southampton
Expansion for Southampton Engineering Training Association
Southampton-based engineering training provider SETA has expanded with the acquisition of a second building for its Millbrook base.
The engineering apprenticeship and training agency has outgrown its First Avenue headquarters and with greater demand for specialist trade training courses they snapped up a neighbouring building in Second Avenue.
That means they can now branch out with dedicated training for commercial courses for electricians and those completing apprenticeships.
SETA is the regional training centre for Achievement Measurement Two (AM2) – the ticket that electrical apprentices on certain schemes need to be considered as qualified. It is also the centre for Comp’Ex qualifications which are needed for working in explosive atmospheres, such as refineries and flour mills.
The move to the new building has coincided with an expansion of the Comp’Ex courses – the foundation unit for managers and supervisors is now available and more are coming on line soon.
The new facility also includes additional computer suites for on-line electrical testing as well as for other short courses – including 17th Edition, Inspect and Test and the Safety Passport - in the near future.
SETA Chef Executive Richard Heighington said: “This is a really significant step for us as an organisation and this new building is going to make a big difference for us.
“As a registered charity we must justify every penny we spend, but we simply could not cater for the demand for courses in our existing building. So when this became available, literally on our doorstep, it was too good an opportunity to ignore.”
The building is in use now but a grand opening is being planned for July with Kevin Hobbs, Esso’s Refinery Manager at Fawley lined up to cut the ribbon.
New Release: December 2009 Thumbs up from OfSTED!
One of the south’s leading providers of engineering apprenticeships has been praised by Ofsted following an inspection of their teaching and training.
Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA), which is marking its 40th year at its Millbrook headquarters was told it provides highly effective and well managed training.
And staff at the centre were especially singled out for what inspectors said was outstanding success rates for the Young Apprenticeship Scheme - 90 per cent achieved a pass in the past two years.
The inspectors, who visited SETA in November, did make some suggestions for areas that needed attention – such as monitoring and evaluating the work of apprentices and better internal communications.
But on the whole they said the provision at SETA was satisfactory and that the range of programmes “meets employers’ and learners’ needs well”. They especially praised the centre for continuing to promote engineering apprenticeships to young women.
Among the Ofsted findings were:
The inspectors said in their report: “Over the last two years SETA has improved arrangements for the delivery of key skills and technical certificates and much of this is now provided in the SETA centre.”
They added: “Current learners in all programmes are making very good progress and timely success rates for this group are higher still. Young apprentices achieve extremely well and success rates are outstanding, at over 90 per cent for the past two years.”
SETA Chief Executive Richard Heighington said he was delighted with the outcome of the inspection and said it reflected the unique position that SETA held in apprenticeship training in central southern England.
“Companies send us their young people for their apprenticeship training because they know they will get back young people fully trained and aware of the relevant regulations.
“We pride ourselves on matching apprentices with employers, so we are always keen to hear from people running engineering businesses who need well trained people in their staff,” said Richard.
“Often those companies would rather not manage their own training schemes and so they rely on us to provide the expertise for their young employees.”
Lawrie brings inspiration to Apprentice Awards evening
Former Southampton FC and England U21 Manager, Lawrie McMenemy MBE brought a touch of inspiration to SETAs 39th Annual Prize Night on Thursday (24th July). SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, had invited Lawrie along to help hand out the Awards to their successful Apprentices as a special guest, along with Mayor of Southampton, Cllr Brian Parnell. Although none of the Apprentices were born when Lawrie guided Southampton to their famous 1976 FA Cup win, his own winning manner had everyone smiling.
All Apprentices who had spent time during the last year in SETA’s Training Centre in Millbrook were invited along to Prize Night, with their parents and employers, to celebrate their achievements. The Mayor of Southampton helped Richard Heighington, SETA Chief Executive, to present them all with a certificate of achievement of the various NVQs, City & Guilds and other qualifications they had earned. Also invited along was Michael Larcombe, a former SETA Apprentice working at Captec Ltd in Segensworth, who recently came Highly Commended in the southern region of the National Apprentice of the Year Awards. Michael is now being sponsored by Captec to study for an Electronics Degree part-time at Southampton Solent University.
After these certificates were presented, Lawrie McMenemy bewitched the guests with memories of his days managing some household names in football. Lawrie’s theme was teamwork and he told the young people present that the biggest challenge they face moving into the world of work will be fitting into their teams of colleagues. Lawrie likened the challenge to that of a football manager’s in balancing a team between the “lead violinists and the road sweepers”. “Although the lead violinists might appear to be the stars (and sometimes the rascals) in a team, they couldn’t do their job without the road sweepers to feed them the ball,” he said. Lawrie reminded all the Apprentices that each of them could bring something valuable to the teams they will now be working in.
For the finale of the evening, Lawrie helped in the presentation of Prizes to those who had particularly distinguished themselves during the year. The Welding Institute Prize was awarded to Harry Tregunna of Jordan Engineering for his achievements in welding. The Mountbatten Awards for Most Improved Apprentices went to Ryan Fenwick of ExxonMobil (in engineering disciplines) and Oliver Johnstone of K Len Construction (in engineering construction).
SETA’s Young Apprentices, school pupils who study part-time at SETA in Years 10 and 11 alongside a full timetable of GCSEs, were also highlighted for recognition. Thomas Lee-Snape came Highly Commended in the category and the RWE npower Award for Young Apprentice of the Year went to Amy Chandler. Both Tom and Amy were pupils at Wildern School and both have now secured Apprenticeships through SETA with local employers, Tom with WH Rowe Ltd and Amy at Fawley Power Station.
The loudest applause of the evening rightly went to the winners of the Apprentice of the Year category. Highly Commended were Holly Morgan of Jordan Engineering and Jordan McCourt of Southampton Container Terminals. The Stainer Prize for Apprentice of the Year was awarded to Matthew Seaman of ExxonMobil (in engineering disciplines) and to Peter Sleep of PTF Engineering (in engineering construction). Both Matthew (17) and Peter (19) have spent the first year of their Apprenticeship at SETA, learning the basic skills of their trade, and will now continue with their qualifications whilst at work.
After the ceremony, all the guests had the opportunity to look around SETA’s Training Centre, with many Apprentices proudly showing their parents and employers some of the project work they had undertaken during their training.
With the moving on of another successful year of Apprentices, SETA looks forward to its 40th new intake in September. With recruitment of the next crop of young people already well under way, signs are that September’s will be the biggest intake of Apprentices in more than a decade; what better way for SETA to celebrate 40 years of engineering training!
News Release - October 2007 LAUNCH OF NEW-LOOK WEBSITE
SETA are proud to launch our new look website. Full of useful details for both would-be apprentices and employers, we hope that you can find the information you are look for. Alternatively, you can contact us using the details provided in the 'Contact Us' tab on the left handside of the homepages.
News Release - 27th July 2006 PRIZE NIGHT SUCCESSES!
The Stainer Prize for Apprentice of the Year has been won by 20 year old Scott Tucker of ExxonMobil at SETA’s Prize Evening today. The annual awards evening seeks to recognise the hard work of apprentices who have completed their first year of engineering training at SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, based in Millbrook, Southampton. Scott secured an apprenticeship with ExxonMobil at their Fawley Refinery from September 2005, moving from Chatham in Kent to take up the post. At the Prize Evening, Scott was presented with his trophy by special guest, Formula Ford Driver Nathan Freke, and SETA’s Chief Executive, Richard Heighington. The Runner-up Apprentice of the Year was Simon Dawkins, an apprentice with Prysmian (formerly Pirelli) in Eastleigh. The 19 year old from Netley Abbey was one of three apprentices recruited by Prysmian in 2005, the first apprentices recruited in several years. The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) also recognised success amongst its apprentices training at SETA – and local young people were strong candidates. The Trophy for Best Engineering Construction Trainee went to Christopher Orr, a former Fareham College student from Lee-on-the-Solent. The 20 year old trainee pipe fitter has been studying at SETA since September 2005 and will be going on to work with local engineering construction company PTF Engineering. The Runner-Up Best Engineering Construction Trainee Trophy went to electrical installation trainee Ashley Simons. 19 year old Ashley, from Dibden, has already been snapped up by Southern Electrical Contracting (SEC) to continue his apprenticeship with them after his year at SETA. The Trophy for Most Improved Engineering Construction Trainee went to 20 year old Christopher Lockley. Chris, from Nuneaton, has been training in welding at SETA and is likely to be going on to work at Alstom’s Derby depot. For the first time this year, SETA was able to make an award for Young Apprentice of the Year. The Young Apprenticeship scheme has been running for two years, with the first cohort finishing this summer. It seemed appropriate to recognise them for their hard work too and Nick Milsom, a 16 year old Wildern School pupil, received the Young Apprentice Award. Nick, along with his fellow Young Apprentices, has been working towards an NVQ Level 2 at SETA alongside his GCSEs. Having seen the career path an Apprenticeship can offer Nick has chosen to take a plumbing apprenticeship over college now he is leaving school. Other Young Apprentices have also been snapped up by local employers, including SEC and Eric Marsh Design. The Welding Institute Prize was awarded to Sean Winfindale, another ECITB trainee. The 20 year old from Rugeley, Staffordshire, was presented with the cash prize by Ian Dunbar of the Welding Institute for his achievements. Other awards on the night went to Andrew Shillabeer, of SELEX Sensors, for his achievements in the Technical Certificate (City & Guilds) course. Andrew, a former Testwood school pupil, attended SETA part-time during his final years at school to complete a Level 1 NVQ. This stood him in very good stead when it came to applying for apprenticeships and Andrew was offered a traineeship with SELEX (formerly BAe Systems) in Millbrook. SEC apprentice Richard Coleman won the Best Electrical Installation Trainee award. Richard, 20, from Christchurch, is based at SEC’s Bournemouth depot. A former Mountbatten School pupil and Redmayne Engineering (Romsey) employee, Adam White, won Best Trainee in Mechanical Disciplines. As well as Scott Tucker, two more ExxonMobil (Esso) apprentices received prizes. Ryan Semmens, from Dibden, won the Best in Electrical/Electronic Disciplines category and 17 year old Scott Rutter from East Boldre was Best Trainee in Metal Trades Disciplines. Overall Most Improved Trainee award was presented to Matthew Wilson. The 17 year old from Merry Oak came to SETA in September to start training whilst looking for an employer. Receiving this award will not have hurt his employment prospects!
News Release - July 2005 PRIZE NIGHT DOUBLES-WHAMMIES! An Esso trainee celebrates a double achievement at the SETA Annual Awards evening. Darren Minnock has collected both the award for best trainee in electrical/electronic discipline as well as the top award of the night – the Stainer Prize for Apprentice of the Year. 23 year old Darren, who lives in Totton and is a former student at Totton College, was recruited by ExxonMobil as an Instrumentation Technical for Fawley in September 2004. He is one of eight Esso trainees who have spent the first year of their training at SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association in Millbrook, Southampton, where they have been learning the basic skills they will require to complete their apprenticeships. The SETA year culminates in the Awards evening, this year celebrating the achievements of around eighty apprentices, before they return to their companies to continue training. Esso have a double celebration this evening as another of their apprentices, 17 year old Daniel Oates, collected the Runner-Up Apprentice of the Year prize. The Oates family themselves are celebrating a double as Daniel’s twin brother, Luke, was awarded the prize for best trainee in mechanical discipline. Luke, who works for Southampton Container Terminals (SCT) has also been training at SETA for the past year and will now return to SCT to continue his apprenticeship. Luke and Daniel, who live in Hythe, both attended the Noadswood School and were lucky to both secure apprenticeships last September. Another company celebrating a double achievement is Redmayne Engineering. The trainees at both their Brockenhurst and Romsey sites collected prizes at the Awards evening. Christopher Honour, 17, from Totton, was recognised for his success in his Technical Certificate studies, while Robert Blandford, also 17 and from Totton, won the best 20 week prize. Both Chris and Rob have spent a year at SETA and will now be returning to work at Romsey and Brockenhurst respectively. For the first time this year, SETA has been working with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) to train apprentices so prizes were awarded to them for their successes. The Welding Institute Prize was presented to ECITB apprentice Kevin O’Hara by Ian Dunbar of the Welding Institute. Most Improved Apprentice went to 18 year old Steven Charrett. Runner-Up Engineering Construction Apprentice went to Ian McDonald, from Nottingham, while Matthew Aldous took the top award as Engineering Construction Apprentice of the Year. Mark Poole, ECITB Regional Account Manager, presented the awards, watched by newly appointed ECITB Director, Customer Services, Tony Featherstone, and Account Manager, John Edwards. Other companies celebrating with their apprentices tonight are SEC (Southern Electrical Contracting) whose Shaun Hunt, of Poole depot, collected the best electrical installation prize, and Lymington Precision Engineering, for whom Dominic Grimes was voted most improved engineering apprentice. All categories are voted for by SETA’s Instructor teams and receive certificates and prizes to mark their achievement. SEC is also celebrating a double national success. Two southern region apprentices have recently achieved national recognition. Douglas Orrell, a first year trainee based in Portsmouth, has won the MK Apprentice of the Year 2005. Doug received his Award on 27th June at a black tie dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, having been short-listed from thousands of entrants as one of just ten candidates selected to demonstrate their practical skills for a judging panel. Of the ten, Doug was judged the best, scooping a trophy and £1000 in cash for himself and £1500 worth of MK electrical equipment for SETA. Daniel Glew, a second year apprentice from Selsey in West Sussex, who is also training at SETA, won the prestigious ECA (Electrical Contractors Association) Edmondson Apprentice of the Year Award only a few days ago. Daniel collected his award at the 31st annual The ECA Edmundson award lunch at Church House, Westminster, on the 20th July. His prizes included a cheque for £1000 from Sponsors Edmundson Electrical and a weeks’ study tour in France and Sweden as a guest of Thorn Lighting. SETA provided the technical certificate tuition, which led to Daniel gaining two distinctions in City and Guilds 2360 Electrical Installation part 2 examinations. SETA also provided support for key skills and NVQ level 2 and 3 assessment success. Both Doug and Dan were invited along to the SETA Prize Evening to celebrate their successes. The final category at SETA’s Prize night is for the best apprentice project. Trainees who spend the whole year at SETA are given a challenge – design briefs, budgets and timescales – and are split into cross-discipline and cross-company teams to carry it out. This year’s challenge was to create their own “Transformer” – an object that looked like one thing but unfolded to become another, that could also be used at the many careers events SETA attend to demonstrate different engineering skills. The 3 teams this year were given six weeks to complete the task, with the resources and knowledge of SETA and the Instructional staff at their disposal. The three designs were very different but the Transformer designed by Robert Whitfield of Cognis Performance Chemicals, Dan Oates of Esso, Darren Minnock of Esso and Richard Sanson of Alstom, got the Award for overall winner. SETA’s guest speaker this year was Trevor Bayliss, well-known as inventor of the clock-work radio and other “wind-up” technologies. Mr Bayliss was pleased to share his ideas on the importance of innovation and inspiration – and hard work! His inventions are themselves proof of how engineering can improve the quality of people’s lives. SETA celebrated their first Prize Night in 1970 with a batch of fledgling engineering apprentices. 36 years later, SETA and engineering go from strength to strength, with recruitment for September looking to top 100 starters for the first time since the “good old” days of apprenticeships in the 1970s. There has never been a shortage of young people interested in coming into the industry, in SETA’s experience, but the limiting factor has always been the number of apprenticeship places offered by companies. This is beginning to improve as employers realise how difficult it has become to recruit skilled staff and are therefore training young people themselves, with the help of training providers like SETA. News Release - October 2004 GIRLS INTO ENGINEERING!
A class from The Sholing Technology College got “hands on” this week as SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, hosted an engineering taster day for them. The thirteen girls, from a Year 10 Design & Technology class, were invited to spend the day having a go as part of an initiative to attract more girls into the engineering industry. SETA worked with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and the JIVE partnership to design a day that would give the girls a range of experiences. The class spent the morning at SETA’s training centre in Millbrook, Southampton. They had the opportunity to try wiring up an electrical circuit, to use a lathe and to make some sparks with a plasma cutter, all under the supervision of SETA’s trained Instructors. To see engineering in action, the girls were invited to Esso’s Fawley site in the afternoon for a site tour. Visiting the largest refinery in Europe gave them the opportunity to see how some of the skills they had experienced that morning are used in industry. The day concluded with an “Open Forum” session, which allowed the girls to ask any questions they wanted. SETA and the ECITB invited along a number of experienced lady engineers to act as “role models” for the girls and to give a female perspective on the engineering industry. “We feel it is necessary, and we have made a commitment by working with JIVE, to target women and girls who may be interested in a career in engineering construction,” explained Jenny Brandy of the ECITB. “Many never have the opportunity to have a go at these sorts of practical tasks. We all have preconceptions about what an engineering construction site will be like so, by creating this opportunity for the girls, we hope to overcome some of these.” Claire Sutton, in charge of apprentice recruitment at SETA, agrees. “In my experience, the girls who do come into engineering are noticeably more keen and more enthusiastic and do extremely well. They quickly earn the respect of their male colleagues. There is a huge skills shortage in engineering at the moment and encouraging more girls to join us would help solve this.” What did the girls think of their day out? “I had a really great day and I am now more interested in engineering.” “I am really glad that I went because I learnt a lot.” “SETA was really fun!” Sholing Head of Science, Caroline Wallace, who accompanied the class, summed up everyone’s thoughts. “It has been a fascinating day and we are grateful to SETA, Esso and the ECITB for giving us this great opportunity to find out more about engineering.” News Release - June 2004 A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK - IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!
Make a 1-litre VW Polo go faster than a Ferrari F40? That’s the task a group of SETA apprentices have set themselves – and they have only four weeks to do it in! SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, have recruited and trained apprentices for local engineering companies for more than 30 years. Apprentices spend part of their training at SETA’s purpose built training centre. As part of that training, at the end of each year, the trainees are set a project that will require them to work as a team and use their new skills to solve a challenge. This year, the apprentices have decided to set their own challenge; they will have four weeks to prepare a 20 year old, 98,000 mile, 0.7 tonne, 30 bhp Polo for a time trial at Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire. They aim to increase the output to over 200 bhp, loose 25% of the weight and improve the acceleration by 12 seconds to 0-60mph in only 6 seconds. They estimate that, at present, the car would cover the ¼ mile Santa Pod track in 21 seconds; the target is to do it in 12 seconds. On paper, this will make the modified car as fast as Ferrari F40! “Project Power Polo”, as it has been dubbed, started to take shape back in November 2003, when the apprentices were discussing project ideas with SETA Instructors. The 10 lads involved, aged between 16 and 22, are all interested in cars and suggested a car-based project. Their imaginations were fired and much research and discussions in their own time narrowed it down to a time-trial mission. SETA’s Chief Executive, Richard Heighington, donated the VW Polo and plans began to take shape. The team have just been released from formal training to work on the project full-time at SETA. However, this did not stop them working evenings, lunch breaks and weekends to get prepared. So far, they have secured a 75bhp, 1.3 litre VW Jetta engine, which they have overhauled and installed. The chassis has been entirely stripped of all non-essential parts and has been away to be re-sprayed British Racing Green. They are investigating sources for other parts they will need, including a nitrous oxide system, and researching other similar conversions. The team have been given a budget to work within but are exploring possible sources of sponsorship to give the car the best possible chance of success. To this end, they have prepared a PowerPoint presentation and built a website, www.powerpolo.com, to keep everyone up to date with their progress. To celebrate the “official” start of the project, local Ferrari F40 owner Peter Egerton obliged by bringing his car to SETA to let the lads have a closer look at a performance car. The team were delighted and bombarded Peter with questions for most of the morning! Also supporting the project, Indigo Press’ Marketing Director Tony Swift was pleased to present the group with logo-ed team polo shirts. As well as the shirts, Indigo Press will also be sponsoring the logos to go on the vehicle itself. “Project Power Polo” is booked on the starting grid at Santa Pod on Sunday 18th July, giving only 20 working days for the team to complete the task. If enthusiasm counts for anything, they will be home and dry! SETA’s “Project Power Polo” team are: News Release - 19th December 2003 ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES
Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Parvin Damani, MBE, recently invited engineering employers to the Civic Centre to discuss increasing the number of training opportunities in the area. In conjunction with SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, the Mayor wanted to consult employers about raising the number of training and apprenticeship prospects. In her official capacity, Councillor Damani had visited SETA’s annual prize evening in the summer to celebrate the achievement of apprentices just completing their first year of training. Whilst there, she was struck by the enthusiasm of these young people but was surprised to learn, that for every applicant who finds an apprenticeship there are about four who do not. This situation is hard to explain when one reads about the growing shortage of skilled engineers while Government funding for training has increased and there are hundreds of young people applying for apprenticeships each year to SETA alone. What is stopping employers training young people? It was this question that the Mayor and SETA sought to explore by inviting local engineering employers to give their views. Representatives from local companies, large and small, including several former apprentices who now run their own businesses, met in the splendid surroundings of the Mayor’s Parlour. After some welcome refreshments, the Mayor greeted those present and Richard Heighington, Chief Executive of SETA, gave a short presentation, before the floor was opened for a general discussion of the issues. There were two key points of concern to those present: employers emphasised that applicants for an engineering apprenticeship must be of a high calibre. They were concerned that schools may not be advising young people of the opportunities engineering can offer and many school leavers may be progressing to full time college courses without giving consideration to the benefits of an apprenticeship. Employers also said that the cost of salaries during the early stages of training reduced the number of apprenticeships they could offer. Richard Heighington explained the steps that SETA are taking on behalf of their member companies to address both these concerns. Many year 10 and 11 pupils from secondary schools throughout Southampton now have the opportunity to spend time at SETA’s workshops where they are able to sample engineering first hand. The structured training they receive at SETA is provided during half day sessions over a total period of 12 weeks. During this time they receive instruction in a broad range of engineering disciplines and health and safety. Through this scheme School pupils gain an insight into engineering which they can use to decide if they want to continue with either an apprenticeship or full time study. In response to employers concerns about the cost of the early stages of training, SETA have developed an ‘Award’ programme. This scheme provides full time training places for selected candidates who are then available to join employers after their first six months of off-the-job training. A small training allowance is paid to the student during this time. This scheme allows potential apprentices to gain experience in engineering before they make contact with employers to apply for a position as a trainee. Both students and employers benefit from this scheme as the experience gained in the SETA workshops helps employers match individuals to the most suitable vacancies. It also relieves the employer from the costs of employing an apprentice for the first few months of the programme. Overall, those present appreciated the opportunity to air their concerns and felt reassured that they were not the only organisation facing the same problems. “We appreciate the Mayor hosting this event,” said SETA Chief Executive, Richard Heighington. “We receive hundreds of quality applications every year from young people looking for apprenticeships in engineering and every year we have to disappoint more than we place. This has been a great opportunity to discuss the issues with those involved and has given us something to take forward.”
News Release - 24th July 2003 TRAINING AWARD FOR ESSO APPRENTICE
A young ExxonMobil employee has won the top award at this year’s SETA Prize Evening. His trophy was presented by Mayor of Southampton, Mrs Parvin Damani MBE, and “Razer” the Robot from the BBC’s “Robot Wars”. Phillip Brown, from Blandford Forum in Dorset, works at Exxon’s Fawley Refinery and has been learning his trade at SETA’s Millbrook training centre. The Instructors at SETA who are involved in training the apprentices choose the Apprentice of the Year. Phillip, who will be 21 in November, joined SETA in September 2002. Runner-Up Apprentice of the Year was Tom Masters, of Redmayne Engineering in Brockenhurst. The 17 year old from Lymington, formerly a pupil at Priestlands School, has been following a year’s mechanical course at SETA’s training centre. SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, holds a Prize Evening every year to mark the achievements of apprentices leaving the training centre to continue their apprenticeships in the world of work. A special guest is invited each year to award the prizes and this year there were two! Not only did the Mayor of Southampton kindly agree to hand out the certificates but “Razer” the robot put on a demonstration of what it’s capable off, crushing a few oil drums in the specially constructed arena. Prizes were awarded for individual achievement in each engineering discipline as well as the overall Apprentice of the Year award. Other prize winners included young apprentices from companies across the South, including Southampton Container Terminals, Southern Electrical Contracting, Alstom Traincare and Siemens Transportation. Prizes were also awarded for a team project and this year’s challenge was to build a walking robot that will reverse away when it hits objects. The decision was a difficult one and two prizes were awarded, one for the fastest robot and one for the team that produced the best-engineered robot. The winning teams included representatives from ExxonMobil, Dickinson Legg and Kerry Foods. SETA is a charity dedicated to the quality training of future engineers. At this, the 34th Annual Prize Evening, Chief Executive Mr Richard Heighington, expressed the determination that SETA would continue to produce outstanding engineers for many years to come. He said that SETA had received the highest ever number of applications from young people wanting to study for an apprenticeship. “Young people are now fully recognising the benefits of vocational training and SETA have literally hundreds of excellent candidates hoping to find engineering apprenticeships with companies in the Southampton area. I am concerned that local employers are not yet realising the potential of this availability of young trainees. It will be very disappointing if they let this opportunity to recruit trainee staff pass them by, particularly as we constantly hear that there is a such a shortage of trained engineers in the area”.
News Release - April 2003 SKILLS SHORTAGE: EMPLOYERS TO BLAME!
SETA Ltd, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, report increased interest from young people in apprenticeships. SETA, who have been training apprentices in engineering for over thirty years and who have close links with local industry, have seen applications for training begin to rise again since the “slump” of the early ‘90s. The number of young people looking for an engineering apprenticeship with SETA went up 22% in 2002 from 2001. Already this year a similar increase is predicted. The majority of apprenticeships start in September, with the closing date at the end of June, and applications are still flooding in. “Each year we hold a number of Open Evenings for people interested in applying” says SETA’s Chief Executive, Richard Heighington “and we were amazed at the number of people who came this year. Local employers recruiting with us were very impressed with the enthusiasm and the quality of the young people they spoke to.” With interest from young people on the increase, talk of a skills shortage would seem illogical but Claire Sutton, responsible for apprentice recruitment and placement at SETA, lays the blame at the feet of employers themselves. “Employers have long had plenty of choice in selecting young people for apprenticeships,” she says. “Every year there are a lot of disappointed young people who go on to college only because they were not successful in gaining an apprenticeship. The reason we have had a skills shortage in engineering is not the lack of enthusiastic young people but the lack of employers willing to train them. Some companies have consistently recruited apprentices year after year, as a means of ensuring their futures, but there are many more companies who do not see the value of training as an investment - and then complain when they can’t find the skilled staff they need.” This skill shortage is reflected in the increase in adult training SETA is being asked to provide. More and more companies are taking advantage of SETA’s cross-skilling, NVQ in the workplace and other training programmes in order to gain maximum potential from their existing workforce. This has allowed SETA to go from strength to strength in recent years, with increased staff numbers and a programme of building improvement works just some of the advances. SETA has also been able to enlarge the further education, or Technical Certificate, courses it offers. “The college day release is a long-established and important part of the Modern Apprenticeship,” Richard Heighington explains. “At SETA we have expanded the Technical Certificate courses we offer to provide a consistency of quality with our practical training and a continuity for the apprentices, who no longer have to go to a Technical College. Employers seem to value our expertise in these areas.” With the message finally getting through to young people that an apprenticeship is a means of continuing education and securing a good career, SETA’s efforts must turn to finding suitable employment for them. Claire Sutton urges engineers working today to remember how they first started out “– probably someone giving them the opportunity of an apprenticeship! If British engineering is to remain the envy of the world, we must invest in it’s future.”
News Release - February 2003 APPRENTICES ENGINEER HELP!
Staff and apprentices at the Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA) were pleased to present donations to the Red Cross’ Fire Victim Support on Thursday. A collaboration between the Red Cross and the Hampshire Fire Service, Fire Victim Support provide help to thousands of people across Hampshire each year – when they need it most. Called out to an average of one domestic fire every week, the Support Vehicle provides not only shelter for a displaced family but immediate help, like toothbrushes and clean underwear. “We are called out by the Fire Service at any time of the day or night” says Coordinator Alan Fryer “and that means families are often without basic necessities. Our vehicle is stocked with toiletries, food and other essentials and our trained volunteers are there to help families over the initial, practical problems of coping with a house fire. The provisions in themselves are not expensive, but we give them away as they are needed and the bill can soon add up.” The Fire Victim Support scheme started in 1996 and is based at High Town Fire station, where Alan Fryer is also a full-time Firefighter. The vehicle costs about £10,000 per year to run, funded by donations and fundraising activities. The current vehicle has helped about 15,000 people in its seven years of service and Alan is hoping to raise another £30,000 this year to replace it. It’s not only money that keeps the vehicle on the road. Alan has a team of 22 volunteers prepared to turn out whenever they are paged. “Our volunteers are extremely dedicated,” says Alan “but we could always use more help.” Dave Cruse is just one of those volunteers and his dedication earned him the “British Red Cross Volunteer of the Year Award” last year. “It can be traumatic,” says Dave “but it’s also extremely rewarding.” The staff and apprentices at SETA were looking for a worthwhile cause to donate the proceeds of their Christmas fundraising efforts to and SETA’s Training Manager, Martin Hinder, suggested Fire Victim Support. By not sending each other Christmas cards and holding a raffle, SETA raised over £100. But, rather than taking the cash, Fire Victim Support asked for provisions for their vehicle. “And you wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to buy 10 assorted sizes of plimsolls in the middle of winter!” said Martin Hinder, the man charged with spending the money raised. Amongst the supplies presented by SETA were new pairs of socks, toothpaste, razors, batteries for the volunteers’ pagers and clean underwear – in sizes to fit all ages! SETA’s Chief Executive, Richard Heighington, expressed how pleased SETA was to contribute. “Most of us had never heard of Fire Victim Support but they provide such a vital service we agreed we should help. It is reassuring to know that, if the worst happens, there is someone that can get you through the immediate problems.” Fire Victim Support welcome contributions or volunteers from businesses or members of the public. Alan Fryer can be contacted at High Town Fire Station, Southampton, or through the British Red Cross Winchester Branch. Their next planned fundraising event is a fun run in April and teams willing to raise sponsorship are welcome to enter.
News Release - 25th July 2002 TRAINING AWARD FOR SEC APPRENTICE
A young SEC employee has won the top award at this year’s SETA Prize Evening. Jamie Wright, from Waterlooville, works for SEC’s Portsmouth depot and has been learning his trade at SETA’s Millbrook training centre. The Apprentice of the Year is chosen by the Instructor’s at SETA who are involved in training apprentices. Jamie, who will be 18 in October, was a pupil at Cowplain School and joined SETA in September 2001. Runner-Up Apprentice of the Year was David Thorne, a mechanical/electrical apprentice working for Alstom Traincare. David, a former Alderman Quilley pupil, lives in Eastleigh. The Mountbatten Award for the Most Improved trainee was presented to Chris Smith, of Esso, for his effort and results over the year. Chris, from Totton, is training to be a mechanical engineer at the Fawley Refinery. SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, holds a Prize Evening every year to mark the achievements of apprentices leaving the training centre to continue their apprenticeships in the world of work. Prizes are awarded for individual achievement in each engineering discipline as well as the overall Apprentice of the Year award. Other prizewinners included young apprentices from companies across the South, including BP Wytch Farm, Glaxo SmithKline and WIX Filtration. Prizes were also awarded for a team project and this year’s challenge was to build a robot that could climb stairs. The decision was a difficult one and two prizes were awarded, one for the robot that climbed the stairs fastest and one for the team that produced the best-engineered robot. The winning teams included representatives from BP Chemicals, Esso, BAT and Redmayne Engineering. SETA is a charity dedicated to the quality training of future engineers. At this, the 33rd Annual Prize Evening, Chief Executive Mr Richard Heighington, expressed the determination that SETA would continue to produce outstanding engineers for many years to come.
News Release - March 2002 A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR ENGINEERING WITH SETA The engineering industry in the UK is facing a serious shortage of engineers as the quantity of new entrants into engineering fail to replace those leaving the industry through retirement. Although engineering offers challenging, well-paid and varied employment, past educational policies have encouraged young people to remain in full time education without sufficient consideration of a work-based route. However, in recent months, the Government have at last started to raise the profile of vocational education and SETA, the Southampton Engineering Training Association, are ideally placed to help those looking to start on a career in engineering.
SETA’s new Chief Executive, Richard Heighington, was able to give an account of a very successful year for 2001 when he made his first annual report to the Trustees. SETA not only increased student numbers, both in apprentice and adult in-service training, but also reported another financially successful year. This improved financial performance is allowing SETA to invest in facilities and equipment. “Something that was just not possible just a few years ago.” Richard explains: “In the early nineteen nineties when training levies ceased, training providers like SETA suffered a drastic cut-back in funding and a reduction in the number of students taking up apprenticeships. Whilst the provision of engineering apprenticeship training has always remained our core activity, we began to look for ways to diversify. At SETA we started to invest in more bespoke adult courses and we developed new services to help employers improve their efficiency by multi-skilling their workforce. This has been very successful but our continued faith in apprenticeships paid off last year when we were successful in securing a contract to run new apprenticeship schemes in engineering when they were awarded by the newly formed Learning and Skills Council. As a result, the future for SETA is looking bright and we are forecasting strong growth in both adult and apprenticeship training.” SETA has made substantial investment in new equipment. One project that demonstrates this is the partnership with the Learning Skills Council for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Southampton City Council and Denford Limited to create a “technology hub” to give eleven local secondary schools access to high-tech industrial equipment. Through this link SETA has opened up the world of engineering in schools whilst helping pupils to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. Local Member of Parliament and Home Office Minister John Denham officially opened this network last December when the service went on line, attracting keen interest from both local and national television news programmes. SETA now hopes to play an even bigger part to increase student awareness in engineering by building on these links with schools. “Our intention is that students who experience and enjoy engineering work at school will be much better equipped to make judgements about choosing a career in engineering.” Explains Richard Heighington. “We are determined to dispel the ‘greasy rag’ image and present a much more modern view of the industry based on the latest technology.” Investment is also being directed to improve the training facilities at SETA’s Millbrook centre. A bright new reception area has already created a more welcoming place for new arrivals and improved teaching areas are now being installed. During the year SETA has employed new specialist tutors to strengthen its teaching staff and build on existing skills to provide a wider commercial training capability and meet the needs of their client companies. “Most important,” feels Richard, “is the dedicated training offered by all our teaching staff which has enabled SETA to remain one of the highest ranked engineering training providers in the region.” This was demonstrated by the comments made recently during a rigorous inspection by the Adult Learning Inspectorate, who praised the quality of training provision at the centre. However, the legacy of the low number of apprentices trained in previous years remains and a serious potential shortage of engineers is looming. Recent Government moves to raise the profile of vocational education means that SETA can anticipate an increased demand as employers and school leavers recognise the benefits of an apprenticeship as a basis on which to build a successful career. SETA’s new Chair of Trustees, Wendy Layton of ExxonMobil Chemical, praised the very high standard all the students achieved last year and congratulated the staff on their hard work to obtain these results. “Today, SETA is a far stronger and more vibrant organisation than it was just a few years ago. We can now supply with full confidence, not only training at all levels of engineering manufacture, but also a wide range of supporting work skills. More and more companies are using SETA to bolster in-house training. We are regularly commissioned to establish recognised qualifications and skills ladders for mature workers allowing companies to increase flexibility and enhance their work-force’ skills.” Through the hard work and capability of the staff at SETA and other dedicated training providers, the legacy of the nineties may at last be starting to reverse. The future of engineering training may once again become secure, built on the sound foundation of the traditional apprenticeship.
News Release - Friday 16th November 2001 SETA LAUNCHES VIDEO-LINK WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS
The Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA) today launched a unique design project in conjunction with local Secondary schools. SETA has joined with Denford, CAD/CAM software and hardware manufacturers, to offer school children a unique insight into design and manufacturing within the engineering industry. Denford Ltd, the manufacturers of computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines and software, have supplied local schools with the ProDESKTOP 3D design software for Design and Technology classes. ProDESKTOP allows pupils to model complex shapes in three dimensions on a computer – letting their imaginations run wild. The schools then transmit the designs to SETA, who, acting as the CNC technology hub or “make centre”, manufacture the item. The new high-tech video-link between the schools and SETA’s training centre allows the children to watch their designs come to life. John Denham, MP for Southampton Itchen, joined pupils at Woodlands Community School in Harefield, Southampton to officially launch the project. The technology class were able to show off their computer design skills to Mr Denham before watching via the video-link as a CNC machine at SETA brought one of their ideas to life. Kevin Baker, a Head of Design Technology at Woodlands Community School, spoke of his excitement at the project: “We are delighted to have been able to show off our new skills to our MP, John Denham, and to demonstrate what a fantastic learning opportunity it is for pupils at our school.” The project, organised in partnership between SETA, Denford Ltd, the Learning and Skills Council for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Southampton City Council, already involves eleven Hampshire secondary schools, and has a growing waiting list of others wanting to join. John Denham MP, special guest at the launch, explained, “This project provides an important link between schools and industry. It gives pupils practical experience of modern engineering processes they would not otherwise have and local schools access to high tech industrial equipment.” “The SETA/Denford project presents a wonderful opportunity for school children to see such state of the art equipment being used in an engineering environment,” said Gavin Smith, Area and Workbased Learning Manager at the Learning and Skills Council for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. “The Learning and Skills Council for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is extremely excited about this project, which has proved a huge success at Woodlands Community School, and the other schools involved. We hope that many more children will have an opportunity to access these resources and develop their skills for future careers.” SETA is dedicated to providing quality engineering training for apprentices and adults, maintaining close links with local schools to introduce young people to the possibilities of a career in engineering. Richard Heighington, Chief Executive of SETA, comments, “Such active involvement with schools, like this project, encourages pupils to consider engineering as a choice. There is a big skills shortage within engineering and these budding young designers should be given every opportunity to see if they could be our the engineers of the future.” As the first project of its kind in the country, all those involved hope the video-link and technology hub will be the start of something big. “We are keen to encourage use of technology in schools from an early age,” explains Denford’s Education Advisor, David Barnard, a guest at the launch “and are delighted that this project is proving such a huge hit with the pupils already involved. There are now other ‘hubs’ developing in Portsmouth and Central Hampshire.” About SETA About Denford For further information please contact: Note to Editors The LSC were pleased to offer financial sponsorship to the Denford/SETA Schools Project. For further information about the Learning and Skills Council, please contact Clare Tovey at Harvest PR on 01329 823558.
News Release- 27th July 2001 BATTLE OF THE CLIMBERS
Apprentices at the Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA) battled it out to win the 2001 Project prize by building climbing robots. Every year the trainees who have been with SETA for the whole year are set a task to complete during their final eight weeks. Inspired by recent television programmes “Robot Wars” and “TechnoGames”, this years teams were challenged to design and build a robot that could scale a 14 foot rope. Naturally, being an engineering project, there were certain parameters imposed. The robots had to be no taller than 440mm, cost no more than £200, include no wheel drive in the design and, of course, be all their own work. SETA apprentices gain a good grounding in all engineering disciplines before specialising their chosen aspect of engineering, mechanical, electrical, electronics, fab/weld, instrumentation and so on. Each team included students from different engineering disciplines to ensure the maximum possible skills were available to each. Both teams completed the project on time and were ready for their big night – the SETA Annual Prize Evening for graduating trainees. In front of an audience of over two hundred instructors, parents, companies’ representatives, local dignitaries and fellow trainees, it was a straight fight as to which robot could get to the top of the rope first. The atmosphere was intense (well, in a very large marquee anyway!). Both robots fulfilled the set criteria but there has to be a winner and Team B’s machine churned it’s way to the top in record time. Delighted with their achievement, they all felt it was a worthwhile project. “It’s great to put what we have learnt into action” said Alan Van Hennik, SETA’s Apprentice of the Year 2000/2001. “It was a really interesting challenge.” |
  
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