Educating the next generation of engineers is essential to creating a skilled workforce and a strong manufacturing sector. It all starts with the investment that experienced engineers and industry professionals are willing to make to develop hands-on skills, share expertise and create growth opportunities for young people.
At B&B Precision Engineering, we are committed to equipping our apprentices, trainees and team of engineers with the knowledge and experience to succeed. From working with modern CNC machinery to opportunities for leadership development and gaining Higher National Certificate (HNC) qualifications, we are proud to invest in our people and give them the tools to gain practical experience and the knowledge needed to build a successful career in the industry.
As National Manufacturing Day 2026 approaches, we have spoken with several of our young engineers to share their experience at B&B and what they’ve learned along the way.
https://vimeo.com/1229741949?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
Harris Walker joined B&B as an apprentice in June 2019 and is now one of our CNC turners.
His interest in precision engineering began through his uncle, who worked in the industry and introduced Harris to it through work experience. He enjoyed the hands-on and practical nature of the work and knew it was something he wanted to pursue.
Since joining B&B as an apprentice straight out of school at just 16 years old, Harris has continued to develop his skills and experience. His time at B&B has provided the opportunity to develop both his technical and problem-solving skills, while working as part of an experienced and supportive team.
“Since starting, the training has been really good, and I’ve learned quite a lot. With any problems I’ve had, there are always enough people to help you out and support you,” Harris said.
As part of that ongoing development, Harris recently completed his Team Leader course.
“I recently completed a Team Leader course which has improved my skills on how to problem-solve and keep everything in good working order.”
For Harris, the variety of work involved in subcontract manufacturing has also helped him further develop his skills.
“If you’re similar to me and you are hands-on and like getting practical with things, I think this industry is definitely a good way of being able to do that. Subcontracting in particular is good because you get a lot of variety of work. It will enhance your problem-solving skills and get you moving faster.”
Watch Harris share his experience of starting out as an apprentice and developing his career at B&B.
Alongside Harris, Riley’s journey with B&B has only just begun. After completing work experience with us two years ago, he returned just a couple of weeks ago to begin working full-time at B&B.
During his work experience, he gained initial exposure to the processes that go into CNC machining, grinding, as well as HVOF and flame spray coating. Over the past few weeks, he’s dived deeper into learning about programming, milling and a bit of grinding, giving him the opportunity to explore different areas of the business and develop his practical skills.
Riley enjoyed learning about the different capabilities at B&B, but was particularly surprised by the technology used in precision engineering. His work experience also gave him a chance to see what it was like to work in the environment, and he quickly realised how much he enjoyed it.
“I really enjoyed it here during my work experience, and I found that it was very comfortable for me to do this because I actually like doing engineering,” Riley said.
For Riley, having people around him who are willing to share their knowledge has also made a big difference.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of support from multiple people – from my parents to co-workers, and everyone who works here. I can ask anyone around me for any support or wisdom.”
There’s already so much more that he wants to learn. Grinding is an area he’d particularly like to develop his skills in, and he has a lot of respect for the precision involved.
“I think the grinding machines are really interesting, and you have to be very precise. I’d love to be able to do that one day.”
Having now experienced engineering through school, work experience and now full-time work, Riley’s advice to other young people considering the industry is simple:
“There’s so much in engineering that you can do. I’d say go for it, shoot for it.”
For B&B, giving young people the opportunity to experience engineering first-hand is an important part of developing the next generation of engineers. The early opportunity to ask questions, learn from others and discover what they enjoy can make a real difference.
Get in Touch
At B&B Precision Engineering, we specialise in precision CNC milling, turning, grinding, and high-performance HVOF coatings, including Stellite 6, Tungsten Carbide, Ceramics and more. With ISO-certified quality and decades of engineering expertise, we support customers across the UK and beyond with components they can rely on.
Email: [email protected]
Call: 01484 866386
