In this episode, Steph is finding out about the thriving engineering and manufacturing sector in Cornwall.

First up, she meets Eric Nicholls, Chair of the Cornwall Manufacturing Group, whose members employ about 4,000 people with a combined turnover of roughly £600m. 

He explains how the area’s mining heritage provided roots for what is now a diverse offering of manufactured products and services, and how a close working relationship with local colleges has significantly transformed the skills.

At Watson Marlow, Head of Manufacturing Engineering Neil Bury describes how his own career path took him from starting as an apprentice to his current role in senior leadership, which included restarting as an apprentice as part of strategic leadership qualification.  

Matt Newman is another employee with Watson Marlow, who has recently embarked on a Project Management secondment. Matt outlines how a two-year engineering course when he was younger, swayed his career decision and lead to an apprenticeship in machining. He also tells Steph why he has been keen to continue learning as his career progressed and how that led to being named Management Apprentice of the Year 2024.

00:00 Welcome to Cornwall

00:20 Cornwall Manufacturing Snapshot

01:45 Heritage and Skills Shift

03:19 Collaboration with Local Colleges

04:30 Why Manufacturing Matters

05:34 Inside Watson Marlow

06:21 Neil’s Apprentice Journey

08:07 Leadership Apprenticeships Today

12:53 Work Life in Cornwall

16:41 Matt’s Apprenticeship Path

19:44 Awards and Next Steps

22:25 Apprenticeships Advice

23:42 Final Thanks

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