A workshop and tour of the AESSEAL Rotherham factory inspired students to look at different career paths and consider applying for apprenticeships.
From engineering to business administration and everything in between, AESSEAL provides apprenticeship opportunities designed to support and accelerate career development.
Year 10 students from Trinity Academy in Thorne, Doncaster, were invited to look at what the company has to offer.
They were taken on a factory tour which they said deepened their understanding of potential career options and highlighted valuable opportunities that apprenticeships can provide.
The students were then split into two groups and delivered PowerPoint presentations covering key aspects of the company, including its history, achievements, community involvement, recent projects and reasons why AESSEAL could be a compelling choice of employer.
Every student questioned afterwards said they found the trip inspirational regarding their ambitions, and that they now had a better understanding of the world of work and what an apprenticeship is.
They all said they would recommend the school made a return trip to AESSEAL as they enjoyed the visit and found it interesting and informative.
Seventy-one per cent agreed they had been motivated to apply for an apprenticeship, with student Evan Berry saying:
It has given me an insight into possible career options for my future.
Trinity Academy Evaluation Report
The positive feedback affirms that AESSEAL, which has signed up employees to 311 apprenticeships between 2017 and July 2025, is on the right track with its approach to recruitment. End Point Assessment has been reached by 147, and 61 are progressing through the process and around 90 have left the business over that time.
AESSEAL UK development and learning manager Darren Jones said: “We changed the selection process and it is much more stringent, involving an ice-breaker, team exercise, individual exercise, interview and, for some, an industry day, and they are graded in each section. We have not lost any from the business this year.”
More than 25 different career paths are now available to apprentices across the UK group, with recent additions including a gardener.
The company says that over the past eight years the cost of apprentice training has been £7,462,294, including external training fees, mentoring, management costs, and the salary cost for day release training.
“AESSEAL trains apprentices to compensate for the lack of training and skills development from other businesses and to secure our ability to provide customer service in the future and we consider the £7,462,294 not as a cost, but a necessary investment in our future,” the company says.
The group’s commitment to apprenticeships is reflected by the awards it has won in recent years, including Top UK Manufacturing Apprentice Employer, RNN Apprentice Employer of the Year, Make UK Apprentice Employer of the Year, Made in Yorkshire – Manufacturing Apprenticeship/Training Scheme Award and a second Princess Royal Training Award for exceptional training and development initiatives, as well as several individual accolades.
AESSEAL’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of engineers, problem-solvers and industry leaders extends to being the Get Up To Speed with STEM (GUTS) Gold Sponsor for eight consecutive years. More than 5,500 students attended this year’s event at Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, where they interacted with business professionals and explored potential careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The company also has a number of enterprise advisors who work with schools in the area to help prepare year 11-13 students for the world of work.
