Open Learning

This annual event regularly attracts school students interested in becoming engineering apprentices, together with accompanying adults including parents and teachers. With over 80 participants, this year broke all attendance records, demonstrating the attraction of engineering apprenticeship as a path to a rewarding career and the growing interest in the resurgent UK manufacturing sector. The company is a long established family-run concern employing some 220 people, with strong ties to the Banbury community. Managing director Neill Brodey, in his welcome, explained that Norbar is expanding its production and how the apprenticeship programme is a most important element for the company's future development. He also emphasised the many different career paths available in engineering, which the Open Evening was designed to demonstrate. Staff then took small groups around both office and factory floor, showing how engineering expertise was required throughout company operations, from 3D CAD design to production and from quality control to sales and marketing. After the tours came the opportunity for aspiring apprentices to meet Norbar personnel across its range of operations for person-to-person discussion and advice. Representatives from Norbar's training partners Warwickshire College (Leamington Spa) and Oxford Brookes University were also on hand to provide information on both apprenticeship and graduate training programmes. Meet Norbar Torque Tools at the FAST Exhibition SOUTHWEST, 12th May 2011, Haynes Motor Museum near Yeovil.