Barkers Engineering
“The overall aim of coordinating our efforts with local schools is to ensure in the first instance that Barkers are doing what it can to encourage young people into engineering. Ideally we would hope by making this introduction that some of these young people will want to start their apprenticeship journey with Barkers and go on to have flourishing careers.”
Simon Watts, Operations Director Barkers Engineering
Benefits of Working with Schools and Colleges
Barkers, the high security fencing and gates specialists, acknowledge their significance as an important part of the local and wider communities and as such try to engage and add value wherever possible. In addition to working with and supporting a number of charities across Staffordshire, Barkers also welcome the opportunity to partner with a number of schools and colleges across the County.
These partnerships see Barkers engage in a variety of ways such as:
- Hosting visits to Barkers for schools and colleges
- Allowing Barkers employees to visit schools & colleges to discuss topics such as STEM and apprenticeships
- Providing employees to judge on engineering projects and providing mock interviews for learners
- Attending school & college open events
- Providing work experience for learners
- Providing work experience days for teaching staff
- Hosting T Level Students
These activities can raise the profile of engineering generally and increase awareness of opportunities available to young people in the local community.
"From a business perspective, this raises Barkers' profile and identifies the company as a potential employer for those who maybe wouldn’t have heard of us previously. On an individual level it helps our current employees develop their own skills, allows them to contribute to their own communities and also gives them an opportunity to feel good about what they do."
NB Barkers Fencing and Karen Barker of We Build Bridges CIC are not related.
Theo - Technical Sales Apprentice
My apprenticeship has been an incredible experience
“My apprenticeship has been an incredible experience so far, significantly enhancing both my confidence in the workplace and my ability to trust myself when making business decisions. Through hands-on learning and real-world applications, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the industry and its complexities. Working closely with experienced mentors has been invaluable, helping me develop the skills to excel while also encouraging me to step outside of my comfort zone. As I’ve taken on more responsibilities and contributed to many projects, my confidence has grown allowing me to tackle challenges with a proactive mindset. The feedback and guidance I’ve received has been important to help progress my development, and I now feel more confident in my abilities and how I approach new opportunities to continue my growth within the industry.”
Theo Jones, Technical Sales Apprentice