Today we brought together all our apprentices and early career employees at our newly reinstalled Hyde Assemblies site for a special National Apprenticeship Week event themed Shaping the Future: Spotlighting why young people matter to the UK industries. With over 80 young colleagues, from 19 different business units, in attendance, the atmosphere was energetic, proud and full of youthful ambition. The morning-long event was hosted by Paul Cox, Sales Director for Hyde Group Limited, who set the tone for a day focused entirely on the achievements and potential of our young talent.
Our first speaker, Anthony Hammond, Joint Managing Director of the Hyde Aero Products Division, delivered a compelling message about the critical role apprentices play in sustaining the future of the United Kingdom’s manufacturing capabilities. His speech focused on how the skills developed during an apprenticeship form the backbone of long-term industrial strength. Anthony emphasised that every component manufactured, every process learned and every improvement made by young people contributes directly to national resilience. He encouraged apprentices to recognise that their developing expertise can come with challenges, but overcoming these hurdles builds the characters that will uphold the future of our industries.
Commodore Thomas Knowles, the Naval Regional Commander for Northern England and the Isle of Man, then delivered a standout address that captivated the room. His speech explored the essential link between engineering talent and the operational capability of the Royal Navy. He spoke about the vital role that young people play in producing components for ships and submarines, supporting complex dockyard maintenance and contributing to the increasingly important fields of software and cyber security. Commodore Knowles described how every part produced and every problem solved in industry has a direct impact on the safety, readiness and effectiveness of naval personnel. He further highlighted how engineering excellence formulates part of a national effort grounded in teamwork, pride and responsibility. His message left many apprentices feeling inspired, valued and connected to something larger than themselves. It was clear from the number of questions and conversations that followed that his words resonated deeply and we thank him for delivering such an intense, motivational and thought-provoking session.
We then welcomed Daniel Abbott, Procurement and Supply Chain Director for Babcock’s Nuclear Sector. Daniel delivered a dynamic and highly engaging session that encouraged audience participation from the apprentices. His talk explored the scale and complexity of the nuclear engineering sector, from the construction and lifetime maintenance of nuclear submarines to the major decommissioning programmes that span decades. Through interactive discussions on nuclear decay, half-life and the long-term nature of nuclear projects, he demonstrated how the work undertaken by young engineers today threads into future generations. Daniel’s message linked scientific principles with real industry impact, showing apprentices how their developing skills contribute to sustained national capability, technical excellence and projects that extend far beyond the present moment. His session reinforced the important theme woven throughout the event that apprentices are at the heart of a cross generational effort to advance engineering and safeguard future capability in both the defence and energy sectors.
The day was patriotic, uplifting and centred entirely on celebrating our apprentices. At Hyde Group we want every apprentice and early career colleague to feel valued and recognised for the essential part they play in our future.