National Apprenticeship Week 2021

From marketing to tooling, here at Epwin we have 28 apprentices currently training and that number keeps growing.
We have been looking at which parts of our business could benefit from the added value apprentices can bring to the teams.

This is an exciting opportunity for us to grow the competences and capabilities of our existing employees as well as embracing new and young talent into our business.
Having apprentices joining Epwin Window Systems has given us so many benefits like:

• Building an internal pipeline of capability in all roles,
• Supporting succession with our aging workforce,
• Encouraging engagement through structured development and recognised qualifications,
• Developing a high-quality workforce through the ability to fill skills gaps and develop specialist knowledge,
• Combining development for new and existing employees to encourage staff retention thereby leading to a more productive, motivated and satisfied workforce.

As it is National Apprentice Week (February 8 – February 14), we wanted to share with you some of our great apprentice team.

Hannah Bailey – Marketing Apprentice

What is your role/What do you do?
I work in the marketing department and I’m involved in both digital and traditional marketing. I create content and monitor the social media channels, deal with customer enquiries, work on bespoke fabricator projects and look after our marketing and technical portals.

How long you been with the company?
I started working for Epwin straight from college in September 2018 as a business admin apprentice in the Terms Desk department. I then moved into the marketing department in March 2020 to do a level 4 apprenticeship in marketing.

What do you think about working for Epwin Window Systems?
Working for Epwin has been great, it’s given me so many opportunities to grow at many levels as well as experience to allow me to progress and develop my skills. Everyone helps me out and gives me the time I need to learn which has been super helpful!

Something you’ve learnt about either the company or the role?
I did not realise how big the window and door industry was! It’s a great opportunity to be part of a large manufacturer because it allows me to see and learn things I wouldn’t see in a smaller firm.

Have you come far from when you started?
I have developed greatly since I started. When I finished college, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do apart from having a creative job where I could be involved with people. Epwin allowed me to see the business from different angles from customer support to marketing.

What has been your proudest achievement and why with Epwin?
My proudest achievement is being able to see my career develop from the start to where I am now.

Career path with the company?
I am currently undertaking my level 4 marketing executive apprenticeship which I’m halfway through. Once I’ve completed this I hope to go on to either do my level 5 in marketing or a degree in marketing, that way I will be able to support the team and our customers in a more comprehensive way.

Give us a particular funny memory or story of Epwin?
It’s not a funny memory but my favourite memory was the FIT Show 2019 where we launched Stellar, our new aluminium system. This was my first exhibition and was thrilling.

Best window joke/pun?
What do you call a window that can rap? Two Panes

Sam Tawn – Tooling Apprentice

What is your role/What do you do?
My role within the Epwin Group is to train up within the tool room to eventually become self proficient with the work we do. This requires me being trained by my shift partner on the different machines and the different processes to help keep production running as smooth as possible. The typical day would include working on the extrusion tools to keep them precise and accurate whilst also producing and maintaining a variety of parts for other departments within the company. Being in the Tool Room, we tend to deal with everyone throughout the company, if anyone needs anything producing or modifying, we are the department that they will contact.

How long you been with the company?
I have been with Epwin for about a year and a half. I had previously finished an apprenticeship within my last company gaining my level 2 and 3 of which I was there for about 4 years but the lack of potential progression made me decide to move on. Whilst doing the level 2 and 3, I had made friends with another apprentice within the Epwin Group who informed me about a position that was coming up and encouraged me to apply. I was then offered an ‘extension’ to my apprenticeship to a level 4 HNC in Manufacturing Engineering which I accepted.

What do you think about working for Epwin Window Systems?
I enjoy working for the Epwin Group, every day it is different as there is always different work to do on different tools meaning there is never two days the same. I really enjoy the atmosphere at work as everyone is friendly and easy to get along with making the days easier and more fun!

Fun fact about yourself
I am huge car enthusiast outside of work and in my spare time enjoy working on cars, whether that is working on the engines, interior or bodywork.

What do you enjoy the most about working for EWS?
I enjoy the fact that every day is different presenting new challenges and new tasks.

Something you’ve learnt about either the company or the role?
I have learnt a lot about the extrusion and production industry within my time at Epwin, and I have learnt that even people that have been here for years still learn things every day taking a little bit of stress off of myself thinking that I need to know how to do everything whereas I know now that as long as I know how things work and what type of things we can do, we can normally come up with a solution to solve the problem.

Have you come far from when you started?
I would like to say I have progressed a good distance since I first started, I only had minimal experience on the machines within the tool room but now there is only a couple that I am not self proficient on.

What has been your proudest achievement and why with Epwin?
When I am working on things out of the workplace I now look at things differently and when things go wrong I can look at ways of fixing the issue rather than leaving it broken or just buying replacements.

Career path with the company?
By this time next year I would personally like to be fully comfortable being left on my own in the Tool Room (If someone is on holiday or off sick) whilst still knowing what to do when obstacles occur.

Give us a particular funny memory or story of Epwin?
Nothing is coming to mind that are PG friendly I’m afraid, sorry!

Best window joke/pun?
I sat on a window. It was a pane in the glass.

Joe O’Hara – Continuous Improvement Apprentice

What is your role/What do you do?
My current role is Business Improvement Technician. I’ve recently started working closely with the technical team and our Commercial projects director. A typical day varies but the majority of my role consists of project management; be it scoping out new projects or the management of ongoing projects.

How long you been with the company?
I started with the company in April 2018 and so have nearly been with the business 3 years.

What do you enjoy the most about working for EWS?
We are lucky to have some great members of staff at all levels of the business and this is the thing I enjoy most about working at Epwin Window Systems. As for most businesses, last year was a difficult one but despite this, everyone stuck together to support each other as best as possible and overcome the issues we were facing.

Have you come far from when you started?
Before starting my apprenticeship in Business improvement, I had limited skills in data analysis and project management but these have improved a lot, thanks to the support of many different people I have worked with in my short time with EWS so far.

Career path with the company?
I am lucky to be starting a Level 5 Improvement Specialist course in February 2021 and am looking forward to furthering my knowledge in project management and lean methodologies, whilst delivering improvements that will benefit the business.

Micah Orbit- Technical Apprentice

What is your role/What do you do?
I work as a specifications apprentice in the commercial/technical department. Typically, on a day-to-day basis I will help with answer customers technical queries, liaising with architects for specifying projects, producing CAD drawings, producing wind-load calculations to ensure that products performance levels are suitable for each project.

How long you been with the company?
I joined the company on the 22nd of February 2016, so have been working here for almost 5 years. I joined as an apprentice while completing my level 2 P.E.O (Performing Engineering Operations) course, I always wanted to work within an engineering environment and felt that it was a good fit for my future development.

What do you think about working for Epwin Window Systems?
I find Epwin a friendly environment to work within, it has also provided me with many opportunities to develop as well as plan a course for my future.

Fun fact about yourself?
I am an enthusiast for the outdoors, I love camping, hiking, archery etc. I also love learning new languages as I like to challenge myself. I also have a passion for music and enjoy playing the guitar and keyboard.

What do you enjoy the most about working for EWS?
I enjoy working part of team that all strive towards the same goals, being able to input on decisions that effect the team moving forward and what we can all do to improve.

Have you come far from when you started?
When I initially started, I had no idea how much actually went into a window or door, the amount of information to take in was quite overwhelming, especially when producing designs as there are so many factors to consider. Though I am still learning, being able to look at a project and based on past experience know what the best approach is, or being able to factor in all the customer requirements, or even creating solutions to issues that arise give a great confidence boost and reinforce the knowledge I have gained over the years.

What has been your proudest achievement and why with Epwin?
So far, having attained my HNC qualification.

Career path with the company?
I am currently doing my degree in product development and engineering, which when complete I hope to use these skills to develop the technical team’s repertoire of knowledge to better both products and customer service for technical support.

Best window joke/pun?
I accidentally broke the glass in my window, it was a pane to replace…

Kyle Pugh – Apprentice Toolmaker

What is your role/What do you do?
I am a Tooling Engineer within the Tool Room. I am primarily responsible for the modification and repair of all the Extrusion Dies, along with this, I also do support (manufacture/repair) jobs for other departments across the company. My typical day would consist of modifying tooling as requested by the Tool Tuner, I would typically also manufacture or repair various components for Maintenance or Production to keep things running. My role requires me to interact with anybody and everybody as the Tool Room has customers from all over the company.

How long you been with the company?
I have been here nearly 6 years, I joined February 22nd 2015. I came in as a first year apprentice.

What do you think about working for EWS?
I enjoy working for Epwin, the variation in work and problems keeps the job entertaining. Along with this, there is a very friendly atmosphere and we all have a laugh on a daily basis. My experience in the Tool Room has given me so many opportunities for progression within my role.

Fun fact about yourself
I massively enjoy working on cars, which is part of the reason behind why I wanted to be an engineer.

What do you enjoy the most about working for EWS?
I enjoy the variation in work and the problems I have to solve. I also love the fact that we can all have a joke and a laugh with each other, it makes the days far more entertaining.

Something you’ve learnt about either the company or the role?
I have learned that my role requires constant learning and adaption to be able to do. Things are always changing and there are always skills and methods that can be improved. Because of this, my role has helped me learn how to be adaptable.

Have you come far from when you started?
I have progressed massively since my first day, I started just as I finished my A-Levels with no real experience or knowledge in Engineering. Since then, I have completed several different qualifications and I am currently studying a Bachelors Degree in Manufacturing Engineering and have gained a wealth of on the job experience and technical knowledge all through this job.

What has been your proudest achievement and why with Epwin?
My proudest achievement from working with Epwin is being able to work my way up to studying my Degree through the company.

Career path with the company?
The career path within the Tool Room is to become fully competent with everything and then move on towards Tool Tuning, however, my aim is to head into management.

Best window joke/pun?
I entered a window fitting competition once. Smashed it.