Year 10 engineering students at North Birmingham Academy discussed the finer points of sheet metal production and their career paths as engineers this week with Mr Keith Chadwick, Managing Director of Radshape Sheetmetal Ltd, which produces precision fabrications for companies such as Pro-Drive, Morgan Motors, Bentley, and even Aston Martin!

Through a fruitful question and answer session with the budding engineers, Mr Chadwick explained how he progressed from Apprentice at Rolls Royce to his current high-powered position at Radshape. Students also got a chance to ask him about the technical aspects of his company, what apprentices can expect to learn from working at Radshape and how the students themselves can develop from studying engineering to applying it.

The Year 10 students, who are currently enrolled on the Engineering Level 2 Higher Diploma, delivered in partnership by NBA and Midland Metropolitan College, got the opportunity to meet Mr Chadwick to give them a firm sense at an early stage of the skills necessary to be an engineer and to put them ahead of the field in terms of securing employment.

After two years of study, the NBA engineering students will have the experience, knowledge and connections necessary to start a career in an industry which is desperate for young talent—reasons why visits from companies like Mr Chadwick’s are so important.