Newbury Business Today

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

Newbury Weekly News

UCN helps Xtrac apprentices achieve their dream career Fully-qualified production engineer now works with top motorsport teams around world

Chancellor Rishi Sunak extends the incentives for hiring new apprentices AT the recent Conservative Party Conference chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced that the Government had extended cash incentives for hiring new apprentices. Bonuses of £3,000 for every apprentice a business hires were due to end in September but have been extended to the end of January. back into an organisation. Apprentices are a valuable investment; they can boost capacity and add fresh energy and ideas to your business. To discuss the apprenticeship opportunities for your business, contact University Centre Newbury today on (01635) 845000 or email info@ ucn.ac.uk Apprenticeships are an amazing opportunity for companies to reskill or upskill existing staff to build capacity

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The huge variety and problem-solving aspect of determining the

XTRAC employee Jamie Rusbridge recently completed his degree apprenticeship, a BEng in mechanical engineering design, at University Centre Newbury (UCN). By following the apprenticeship route, he is now a fully-qualified production engineer working with top motorsport teams around the world. During a recent spotlight chat, Jamie gave an insight into his role at Xtrac and how he achieved the career he wanted. What does your job as production engineer entail? I act as a link between the design office and the shop floor, ensuring that the parts we design can be manufactured. I’m responsible for defining the manufacturing routing, deciding which processes or machines a part needs in order to achieve the final design, along with designing any work holding or tooling

As long as I can remember I’ve been interested in vehicles and inherently motorsport

manufacturing method for complex components and the challenges of working in a fast-paced environment. I greatly appreciate the quality of the engineering I’m surrounded by and the satisfaction of seeing our products in their final applications. Which of your career achievements are you most proud of? Winning the 2015 Apprentice of the Year award was a real boost to the start of my apprenticeship. In 2016, having completed my apprentice factory tour, I secured a position in production engineering, where I’ve worked since. Applications for Xtrac’s award-winning apprenticeship scheme are open from January to March every year. Find out more about their careers by visiting www.xtrac.com

required for processing on each of those machines at each stage of manufacture. What qualifications do you have? I’ve just finished a degree apprenticeship through University Centre Newbury, having achieved my BEng in mechanical engineering design in 2020. Prior to this, during my apprenticeship, I’ve worked from BTEC Level 3 through to Level 6 and NVQ Level 2 to Level 4. What inspired you to pursue the career you have today? As long as I can remember I’ve been interested in vehicles and inherently

Jame Rusbridge

motorsport. I had a really positive experience through my product design classes in sixth form, being lucky in the fact that I was able to do turning, milling, brazing, welding and even some sand casting.

From that point on I knew I wanted a career in engineering and with the combination of engineering and motorsport at Xtrac, the apprenticeship was a perfect fit for me. What do you like most about your job?

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Picture: James Robinson

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