Building the Workforce of Tomorrow: Piovan UK’s Commitment During National Apprenticeship Week

As National Apprenticeship Week highlights the vital role apprenticeships play across UK industry, Piovan UK is proud to reaffirm its commitment to nurturing emerging talent, strengthening the engineering pipeline, and supporting the future of manufacturing. This year’s theme could not be more relevant, because the need for skilled engineers has never been greater.

Why We Need Apprentices: Insight from Simon Woodd, Apprentice and Service Manager

“Having started my own career as an apprentice back in the 1980s, I’ve seen first-hand how our industry has struggled to maintain a strong pipeline of skilled tradespeople. The transfer of knowledge that once naturally passed from experienced engineers to younger generations has diminished, and it’s now more important than ever that we focus on rebuilding this foundation.

“At Piovan, we are fully committed to investing in the future of our industry. We take on an apprentice every year, providing them with the training, exposure, and real-world experience they need to thrive and help strengthen an ageing workforce. Over the past few years, we’ve developed a successful partnership with Next Gen and HWGTA, enabling us to nurture talented young engineers who are gaining not only core engineering skills, but also specialist knowledge of our bespoke systems and equipment used across the plastics sector.

“I’m also personally involved in supporting local schools through career events, as well as representing Piovan at the West Midlands Manufacturing Festival, where around 700 enthusiastic students will be exploring opportunities within manufacturing. It’s a fantastic platform to showcase our industry and inspire the next generation of engineers.” — Simon Woodd, Apprentice and Service Manager

The Skills Shortage: A Challenge We Must Act On Now

Across the UK, the engineering sector is facing an unprecedented skills gap. By 2030, around 730,000 engineering professionals will retire, leaving a critical void in experience, technical capability, and leadership. This is not speculation, it is a demographic certainty.

When seasoned engineers leave the industry, they take decades of specialist knowledge with them. These are not just empty roles, they represent lost opportunities for innovation, productivity, and growth.

But the situation is not irreversible.

With the right combination of apprenticeships, retention strategies, education partnerships, technological investment, and early engagement with young people, the engineering sector can transform this challenge into a moment of positive evolution.

What is clear is that the workforce of 2030 must be developed today. Not next year. Not when budgets permit. Today.

Every apprentice who joins the industry represents a step toward securing the future of UK manufacturing, and this is precisely why Piovan continues to invest heavily in early career talent.

Piovan UK at the West Midlands Manufacturing Festival

This commitment extends beyond Piovan. The company is proud to be exhibiting at the West Midlands Manufacturing Festival at West Bromwich Albion Football Club, engaging with 12 schools and more than 700 students throughout the day.

As a Next Gen Makers Gold Standard Excellent Employer for Engineering Apprenticeships, Piovan is driven to give back to the community, raise awareness of manufacturing careers, and help young people discover the exciting opportunities the sector offers.

The festival provides a unique platform to:

• Inspire students with hands-on demonstrations
• Showcase real engineering solutions and technology
• Highlight pathways into manufacturing and engineering
• Support schools in developing STEM engagement

Events like this are key to energising the talent pipeline and ensuring students see the relevance and excitement of engineering careers.

Celebrating Apprentices

Piovan currently employs two apprentices, including Austin Richards, who recently qualified and is already making a substantial impact.

Austin supports the Sales department by producing technical 3D models, schematic drawings, and precise layouts for bespoke customer projects, a role requiring high technical ability and an understanding of complex engineering systems. His journey demonstrates exactly why apprenticeships matter: they develop skilled, confident, and motivated individuals who help drive the business forward.

Shaping the Future Together

Apprenticeships are more than training programmes; they are the foundation of a sustainable and innovative engineering workforce. As experienced professionals retire, the responsibility falls on today’s organisations to ensure that knowledge is preserved, shared, and translated into the next generation.

Piovan UK is proud to play its part. Through apprenticeships, partnerships with education providers, and active involvement in community events, the company is helping build the talent pipeline that will support the industry for decades to come.

The engineers of tomorrow are already among us, and it is our duty to inspire, support, and prepare them for the future.

Read more news on Piovan here.

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