Apprenticeship programme shortlisted for prestigious award

Ricoh Products Limited – which is based in Telford and includes the Ricoh 3D operation – is in the running for the Manufacturing Apprenticeship/Training Scheme category of the Made in Midlands Awards.

Ricoh’s Apprentice Academy is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and, in that time, has offered scores of career opportunities for staff.

Apprenticeships on offer at Ricoh - a global provider of technology aimed at transforming business processes and information management - are from Level Three through to degree-standard Level Six, and cover numerous aspects of the business including Engineering (Technical and Craft), Tool Making, Commercial IT, Business Development and Data Science.

Mark Dickin, who now heads up the Ricoh 3D printing operation, is himself a former graduate of the Ricoh apprenticeship scheme in 1999.

Dickin said: “Everyone at Ricoh is delighted to be shortlisted for this award.

“The Apprentice Academy is a programme which we are all extremely proud of.

“Of the current workforce, I’m one of 35 people who has been an apprentice and gone on to remain with the company - and that’s in addition to the 18 apprentices we currently have.

"Developing the next generation of talent is something which is close to all of our hearts.”

Training for each apprentice is split between ‘on the job’ training across a variety of departments at Ricoh and educational programmes through centres including universities in York, Stafford, Aston and Shrewsbury College.

The other companies shortlisted alongside Ricoh for the award are JJ Churchill, In-Comm Training, Make UK, Envisage Group and WCG.

The winner will be announced at the awards night at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel in Birmingham on Thursday, September 3. The event was due to be held in April but has been delayed due to Covid-19.