Midland Group Training Services

🎉 Happy Retirement, Viv! 🎉

Today we say goodbye and thank you to a truly valued member of our team, Viv, as she retires after an incredible 17 years of service.

Viv originally joined us as maternity leave cover but enjoyed working with the company so much that she decided to stay, remaining a key part of the business right up to her 70th birthday.

Throughout her time with us, Viv has been a stalwart of the Sales team, adapting seamlessly through change and working alongside seven different managers. Her commitment, professionalism, and dedication to supporting the needs of the business have never wavered, making her an invaluable colleague and friend.

Beyond her hard work, Viv has brought warmth, humour, and personality to the office every day. Whether sharing stories from her life and experiences or keeping everyone entertained with her wit, she has helped create a workplace filled with laughter and camaraderie.

Viv leaves behind a lasting legacy and will be greatly missed by everyone who has had the pleasure of working with her.

Please join us in thanking Viv for her outstanding contribution over the last 17 years and wishing her a long, happy, and well-deserved retirement. 🌷

Congratulations, Viv, and thank you for everything! 👏💐

ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIP / NUNEATON

📢 Triton Showers is looking to recruit an apprentice Design Engineer to join their Product Development Team at their Nuneaton offices.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the UK’s market and brand leader in showers. The successful candidate will follow the Product Design & Development Pathway of the Level 3 Advanced Manufacturing Engineering apprenticeship.

The first year of training will take place at MGTS in Coventry (start date 7 September).

🔗 For all the details and to apply: https://www.tritonshowers.co.uk/design-engineer-apprentice

📅 Applications close on 31 July

ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIP / MILTON KEYNES / £21.5K

Working at Cranswick Plc means you’ll be part of one of the largest food producers in the UK. In Milton Keynes, the Cranswick Convenience Foods site specialises in curing, cooking and smoking British meats.

This 4 year apprenticeship follows the Food and Drink Maintenance Engineering Standard. The successful candidate will work alongside experienced engineers maintaining and improving the performance of all plant and equipment.

🏚️ Off the Job training takes place at MGTS in Coventry and involves living away from home (accommodation is fully funded by the company).

Year 1 = 20 weeks in accommodation
Year 2 = 14 weeks in accommodation
Year 3 = 6 weeks in accommodation

💰 Starting salary £21,500 increasing every 6 months by £2,500 depending on performance.

For all the details and to apply:
🔗https://mgts.enrola.co.uk/opportunity/69a8552b6d893

’Tis always nice…

To receive a “thank you,” and this week one of our Apprenticeship Recruitment Co-ordinators received a lovely message of appreciation from an applicant who had secured a position.

Inderpal tells us:

“It’s a rewarding feeling to be part of a young person’s career journey — from processing their online application, to the initial interview, matching them with an employer, and finally the joy of seeing them secure an apprenticeship. It was a lovely and welcome surprise to receive the email thanking me for my support. I look forward to seeing all our successful applicants in September.”

📣Subject to demand, MGTS will be offering the opportunity the study for a BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in General Engineering from September 2026.

The programme is designed for aspiring and experienced engineering professionals looking to develop advanced technical knowledge, industry skills, and leadership capability within the engineering sector.

This higher-level qualification combines practical engineering application with academic development, preparing learners for progression into senior technical roles, management positions, or further university study.

Find all the details: https://www.mgts.co.uk/news-and-events/new-btec-higher-national-diploma-in-engineering/

👏🎉 Congratulations to Darragh O'Malley on completing his Mechatronics engineering apprenticeship!👏🎉

Darragh was the first MGTS apprentice at The Coventry & Solihull Waste Disposal Company (CSWDC) and has been the perfect role model for those that have followed him.

Lee Beesley, his Training & Development Adviser tells us: "Darragh has always been pro-active in his learning and acted with professionalism. The onsite team have supported him constantly, ensuring he was given the time he needed to complete work and exposure to a wide range of activities."

Darragh commented: "I knew that University wasn't for me, so getting paid to learn was the perfect option. With MGTS Tutors and Technical Trainers having an industry background it helped make sense of what I was being taught in the first year, which would be intrinsic to what I'd be doing on site.

"The support from Lee was great and from the very start he always made sure that I was aware of the bigger picture - planning for the 4 years of the apprenticeship. I have also received great support from everyone at CSWDC, especially Phil Burgess and Andrew Doran."

Darragh now has a full time position working in the Control Room and supported by the company, he enrolled onto an online HNC in Engineering programme in April.

Well done to everyone involved in Darragh's success!

💥✨ 💥✨💥✨💥✨💥✨💥✨💥✨💥✨💥✨💥

Congratulations to Lee Beesley and Adrian Simkiss who recently became Freemen of the City of Coventry.

The ceremony was held at the Freemen’s Court within the Council House, attended by the Lord Mayor and the Master of the Freemen’s Guild.

The right to become a Freeman of Coventry is still earned through serving an apprenticeship and the city is the only one to award Freedom in just this way. Other cities award the Freedom through a payment, or it can be passed from parent to child.

Lee told us: "Both my dad and grandad were Freemen of the City, and as a proud Coventrian I always knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Along with promoting apprenticeships, the Guild does an amazing amount of charitable work, and I look forward to being part of this.”

Adrian said: “It was a great pleasure to embrace the opportunity to become a Freeman of the City of Coventry. It’s something unique to the City, with a long history. Coventry is the only City in the country where such an acknowledgement of apprenticeship served individuals can be recognised in this way. I would encourage anyone who has completed an apprenticeship in Coventry to become a member of the Freemen’s Guild to keep this historic organisation a recognised part of the City for years to come.”

To find out more about the Freemen’s Guild visit:
https://www.coventry.gov.uk/lord-mayor/freedom-city-coventry

Pictured left to right: Master of the Freemen’s Guild - Raj Bansal, Adrian, Lee & Lord Mayor - Councillor Rachel Lancaster

Last week we hosted a visit from students at Finham Park 2 school to give them a flavour of life as an engineering apprentice.

⚙️The students are currently in Year 10 and it was great to hear that many of them are studying Engineering at GCSE level.

After a presentation about the programme and the application process, students were given a tour of our Centre before finally undertaking a timed challenge...assembling an air motor in 20 minutes. Well done to the girls who achieved the most in the time given 👏

For any careers advisers who would like to arrange a student visit, please email our team: [email protected]

ENGINEERING APPRENTICESHIP / VARIOUS LOCATIONS / £20K

The Compleat Food Group have apprenticeships on offer at a variety of locations:

- Barnsley
- Clitheroe
- Crewe
- Ebbw Vale
- Market Dayton
- Middlesbrough
- Milton Keynes
- Nottingham
- Poole

This is a fantastic opportunity to:

🛠️Learn real engineering skills on the job
🎓Gain recognised qualifications
🏠Build your confidence whilst living in Coventry in your first year (fully funded!)
👏Be supported by fantastic engineers and mentors

For all the details and to apply 👇

https://www.compleatfood.com/career-category/apprenticeships/

He did it!

A massive well done to Steve Palmer (our Business Development Director) who completed the Coventry half marathon yesterday 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ raising a fabulous amount of money for Macmillan Cancer Support

His fundraising target was £200...so far he has raised £460 which will be matched by MGTS!!

Take a bow Steve...if you can with all those aches and pains 😉