Apprenticeships are key to family business that works with superyachts
A Mid Wales-based company, which has developed into global brand making accessories for superyachts and safety equipment, has highlighted the importance of apprentices to the business.
Providing well paid jobs for young people and developing their skills has always been the mantra for husband and wife team Bill and Brenda Brown since launching Makefast as a start-up engineering business 51 years ago.
Today, their business, Makefast, employs 114 people in Newtown, has satellite sales offices in America and Italy and exports its products around the world. The company currently has eight apprentice mechanical engineers on its books - six of whom were recruited in the last year.
Around 20 per cent of the workforce is made up of either former or current apprentices and the company has plans to recruit another four apprentices this year, including budding electrical engineers, to specialise in control boxes for sunroofs and awnings.
Bill worked with local businesses and Mid Wales Manufacturing Group to establish a Shared Apprenticeship Scheme in the past, which gave young people the experience of working for a number of different companies.
One of the first shared apprentices was Stuart Bowen, who is now technical director of Custom Marine Developments, part of the Makefast Group, which provides bespoke engineering solutions for clients in the very high end of the luxury marine market.
“Makefast is now big enough to provide apprentices with the experience of working in different departments and we also offer the added bonus of overseas travel, which helps to attract talented and dynamic young people,” said Bill and Brenda’s son Chris Brown, who now runs the successful business with his brother, Michael.
“Our plan is to set group projects for our apprentices from design and planning through to the manufacture of products. That way, they get to experience working in different departments and develop teamwork.
“Employing apprentices allows us to mould them with the skills we need in the business. They are hugely important because they are our investment in the future and we hope it will pay off handsomely. We would have struggled to grow the business without them.
