Following on from its recent intake of graduates Colin Bell and David Murray (the latter of whom is planning to attend a machine commissioning in Brazil in the next few months as part of his initial training), the company has taken on two extremely promising local apprentices, Finlay Mitchell and Jamie McPherson, straight from school. Over the next 4 years the pair will be acquiring a thoroughly rounded view of the Rautomead operation, beginning by spending six months with the company’s machine fitters and a further six months with the electricians.

As with the two graduates, in taking on the two apprentices Rautomead was looking out not just for a natural talent and aptitude for the job but also for young people with a natural willingness, and enthusiasm, for engaging immediately and directly with the equipment and getting their hands thoroughly dirty in the process! In fact, so rigorous is the company’s selection process in identifying just the right young DNA for the job that Finlay and Jamie are actually the first apprentices Rautomead has taken on in over four years, their predecessor, Callum Anderson, having completed his apprenticeship last summer. Nor will the two young apprentices be missing out on their academic studies throughout the period of their apprenticeship with tuition being provided one day a week by local Angus College.

A vital consideration for Rautomead in stepping up its drive to recruit new talent lies in the company’s determination to ensure continuity and build solid foundations for the future. While the company’s recruitment drive is just one aspect of the major investment programme it has embarked upon in recent months with the establishment of its highly innovative new ‘Advancing Metals Technology’ division with a strategic objective of innovation in the exploration and development of more efficient non-ferrous metals production, including processes and end-user applications, in addition to a major revamp and improvements to the layout of the Rautomead facility as a whole and investment in a brand new trials machine to future proof the Rautomead offering.

As Rautomead Managing Director, Brian Frame, explains with a twinkle: ‘Here at Rautomead, like anywhere else, no one is getting any younger and the injection of fresh young talent such as Finlay and Jamie, really has given the company a shot in the arm. We believe passionately that continuity and quality standards for the company will be maintained by plucking the best young people straight from university and school. We are proud to be regarded as part of the local community, something we’ve achieved through our policy of employing local people, although we are also prepared to search far & wide to find just the right person for us, Colin Bell having joined us from U.S.A. for example. However, providing a career start in engineering for two local youngsters gives us particular satisfaction.’