ADI GROUP MARKS A DECADE OF DEVELOPING FUTURE ENGINEERING TALENT
ADI GROUP CELEBRATES PRE-APPRENTICE GRADUATES AS UK ENGINEERING SKILLS GAP WIDENS
Engineering specialist adi Group has celebrated the graduation of 12 students from its Pre-Apprentice Programme, highlighting the growing importance of employer-led technical education as the UK grapples with rising youth unemployment and persistent engineering skills shortages.
Engineering firm adi Group, which operates from bases in the Midlands and the North West, has celebrated the successful completion of its latest Pre-Apprentice Programme, with 12 students graduating after two years of practical workplace learning designed to introduce young people to careers in engineering.
The milestone comes as the UK’s engineering sector continues to face mounting recruitment challenges. According to Skills England, more than a quarter of vacancies remain difficult to fill because of skills shortages, particularly across engineering, construction and digital industries. At the same time, youth unemployment reached 16.2% in early 2026, while almost one million young people are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Against this backdrop, adi Group says creating earlier pathways into technical careers has become increasingly important if the UK is to develop the skilled workforce needed for future economic growth.
Investing In The Next Generation
Now in its tenth year, the company’s Pre-Apprentice Programme provides students aged 14 to 16 with structured engineering experience through a combination of workshop learning and real workplace exposure.
Delivered in partnership with King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys, the initiative enables students to develop technical skills, build confidence and gain a clearer understanding of the career opportunities available within modern engineering.
The latest graduation ceremony, held at adi Group’s headquarters in Kings Norton on 8 July, brought together students, families, apprentices and senior leaders to celebrate the achievements of the programme’s newest cohort.
All 12 students completed the programme with either a Merit or Distinction, while family members toured the company’s engineering facilities to see the practical work the students had undertaken during the programme.
Engineering Skills Back In The National Spotlight
The graduation comes as apprenticeships and technical education have returned to the centre of the national policy debate.
Recent comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham have highlighted the role that employer-led work placements could play in public procurement and the wider economy, reinforcing the importance of giving young people earlier access to technical careers.
For James Sopwith, Strategic Account Director at adi Group and the leader of the Pre-Apprentice Programme, changing perceptions of engineering remains just as important as teaching technical skills.
“If we want to build a resilient engineering workforce for the years ahead, young people need meaningful exposure to the sector much earlier in their journey,” he said.
“There are still outdated ideas about what engineering looks like, but today’s industry offers a wide range of career routes, modern working environments and opportunities for people with many different strengths.
“Hands-on engineering experience is one of the most powerful ways to change those perceptions. When young people spend time in a real workshop environment, speak to people already working in the sector and understand the routes available to them, it can make engineering feel far more realistic and accessible as a future career.”
Beyond Apprenticeships
The Pre-Apprentice Programme forms part of adi Group’s broader early careers strategy, which also includes engineering assemblies in local schools and mock interview sessions designed to help young people prepare for employment.
The company says these initiatives allow students to understand what employers expect while building confidence in presenting their skills and ambitions.
Several former participants in adi Group’s apprenticeship pathway have progressed from entry-level positions into senior leadership roles within the business, including Managing Director positions, demonstrating the long-term impact of sustained investment in talent development.
Richard Hodgetts, Science and Technology Faculty Lead at King Edward VI King’s Norton School for Boys, praised both the students and the partnership with adi Group.
“This is the strongest set of results we’ve had for this qualification, and we’re incredibly proud of what the students have achieved,” he said.
“adi’s support has made a real difference – not just in the skills the lads have developed, but in the confidence and direction they’ve gained from being in a live engineering environment.
“We’re grateful for the time, expertise and investment the team has put into our students. It’s given them a genuine first step towards a future in engineering.”
With employers continuing to report significant shortages of skilled engineers, programmes that expose young people to technical careers before they leave school are increasingly being viewed as an important part of strengthening the UK’s future workforce.
