The Drayton Beaumont Group is a North Staffordshire based, family-owned firm specialising in mechanical and electrical engineering services including design and development, facilities management and renewables.

Established in 2002, the group has recently expanded significantly following the acquisition of the JPR Group and the amalgamation of other family businesses, including Therser UK.

Always keen to ensure they are bringing on new employees, this significant expansion – allied with a strong vision for growth over the next five years – has allowed Drayton Beaumont to bring forward ambitious apprenticeships plans with Newcastle-under-Lyme College.

Having always been enthusiastic to encourage young people to enter the sector, the Drayton Beaumont partnership with Newcastle College has flourished in recent years, with a steady flow of opportunities for students to gain both work experience and apprenticeships. The connection started when Drayton Beaumont were appointed to work on the college’s Technical Excellence Building,and struck up a conversation with the T-Level team at the college.

T-level students are required to complete 315 hours of work experience and Drayton Beaumont were quick to recognise the potential of supporting young people already curious about the industry to gain experience that could lead to an apprenticeship.

Initially two Building Services Engineering (BSE) students worked with them on the Newcastle site, before the experience was expanded across a wider portfolio of the group’s sites – and is being held up as a flagship model of employer-led learning and skills development.

One of their first apprentices, Jack Rowe, came to them through this pathway of T-levels to apprenticeship, and has become a much used case study for the college around the opportunities T-levels and apprenticeships can provide. The success of Jack’s placement led Drayton Beaumont to expand their offer of work placements and apprenticeships and the growth of the parent company means there are active discussions about a further increase in placements and apprenticeships, leveraging the full benefits of their business offer. All have a strong technical ability angle and there are often interconnecting projects.

To date, Drayton Beaumont has supported placements for 11 BSE learners and one Design, Surveying and Planning (DSP) learner, providing each with hands-on, meaningful experiences on real-world projects. These have included involvement in the Institute of Technology (IoT) build, a major recycling centre in Walsall and collaborative work within their planning office. Through these experiences learners have developed critical skills, gained confidence and built networks that bridge the gap between education and employment.

Two of the four T Level Building Services Engineering Graduates have gone onto Electrical Installation apprenticeships with the group.

The Drayton Beaumont Group has entered the Skills For the Future category of University of Staffordshire Business Awards.