Engineering Futures at Encocam: Apprenticeships, Careers, and Life‑Saving Innovation

Encocam is a global engineering and manufacturing business with a powerful purpose: to protect people, save lives, and enable innovation. We seek out opportunities – for development, collaboration, and innovation – and we believe the future of engineering depends on inspiring and supporting the next generation.

This article is written for young people, and also for parents, carers, teachers, and careers advisors who want clear, honest, and encouraging information about engineering careers. Whether you enjoy practical problem‑solving, cutting‑edge technology, or making a real‑world difference, engineering at Encocam can be a life‑changing pathway.

Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeships and Engineering Careers

What Is a Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship?

A Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship is a hands‑on, paid route into engineering that combines: Practical, On‑the‑job experience, Formal technical education and mentoring from skilled engineers and technicians

Apprentices work alongside experienced professionals while gaining nationally recognised qualifications. It is a respected alternative to university – and for many, a faster and more practical route into a rewarding engineering career.

Why Choose an Apprenticeship in Engineering?

Engineering apprenticeships are ideal for people who:

At Encocam, apprentices contribute to real projects from day one, helping manufacture advanced structures used across automotive, aerospace, defence, energy, and safety‑critical sectors.

Skills You Will Learn

As a Manufacturing Technician apprentice, you may develop skills in:

You’ll also build valuable transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, problem‑solving, and time management – skills that employers actively seek.

Long‑Term Career Opportunities

An apprenticeship is not the end – it is the beginning.

Many apprentices progress into roles such as: Manufacturing or Production Engineer, Design or Development Engineer, Quality or Process Engineer, Project or Operations Manager, Engineering Team Leader.

With experience, further training, and ambition, apprentices can build long‑term, well‑paid careers with opportunities to work internationally and across multiple industries.

Supporting Parents, Carers, and Educators

Engineering apprenticeships are:

For young people who thrive in practical and technical environments, an apprenticeship can be just as powerful – and often more suitable – than a traditional academic route.

Engineering That Saves Lives – Why It Matters

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Engineering That Saves Lives – Why It Matters

Engineering is not just about machines and materials – it is about people.

At Encocam, engineering plays a vital role in life‑saving applications, from vehicle safety to sports injury reduction. Our work helps engineers, researchers, and safety organisations around the world design systems that protect lives.

Crash Test Dummies and Human Surrogates

Crash test dummies and advanced anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) are essential for understanding how the human body responds to impact.

Engineered components within these systems help:

Encocam engineers contribute to the design and manufacture of precision energy‑absorbing structures used in these critical safety tools.

Energy Absorbers and Crash Protection

Energy absorbers are engineered structures designed to:

They are used in: Automotive and motorsport safety systems, crash test barriers, defence and aerospace applications.

This engineering directly reduced injury severity and saves lives every day.

Crash Test Barriers and Safety Systems

Crash test barriers must behave in a controlled, repeatable, and predictable way. Engineers carefully design these systems to simulate real‑world accidents and generate accurate data.

This allows manufacturers and regulators to:

FEA Modelling: Engineering Before It Happens

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) allows engineers to simulate crashes, impacts, and stresses before physical testing begins. Using advanced modelling techniques, engineers can:

FEA is a key skill for modern engineers and a powerful example of how digital engineering supports life‑saving innovation.

Headforms and Helmet Safety

Headforms are precision‑engineered tools used to assess helmet performance and reduce sports‑related head injuries. They are essential in:

Engineering better headforms means better helmets, safer sports, and fewer life‑changing injuries.

Inspiring the Next Generation

For young people considering engineering, this work offers something rare:

A career where technical skill meets real human impact.

Engineering at Encocam is about curiosity, responsibility, and purpose. It is about using innovation to solve problems that truly matter.

Find out more about our Engineering Careers
Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeships (FAQs)
What entry requirements are needed for a Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship?

In line with national careers guidance, entry requirements focus on a young person’s aptitude, motivation, and potential. GCSEs (or equivalents) in maths, science, or technology-related subjects are often beneficial, but employers also value practical skills, problem-solving ability, and a positive attitude to learning.

Is an apprenticeship a paid job?

Yes. Apprenticeships are paid employment with structured training, allowing young people to earn a salary while gaining recognised qualifications and workplace experience.

How does an apprenticeship support long-term career progression?

Apprenticeships are designed as progression pathways, not end points. They can lead to higher-level qualifications, professional engineering roles, leadership positions, and in some cases degree-level study.

What training and support are provided?

Apprentices receive off-the-job training, workplace mentoring, and regular progress reviews. This aligns with best practice in careers education by supporting both technical development and personal growth.

Is an apprenticeship suitable for students who prefer practical learning?

Yes. Apprenticeships are particularly well suited to learners who thrive in hands-on, applied learning environments and want to see the real-world impact of their skills.

Engineering and Life-Saving Applications (FAQs)
Why is engineering considered a socially valuable career?

Engineering contributes directly to public safety, health, and wellbeing by improving transport safety, protective equipment, and injury prevention systems.

How do crash test dummies and safety systems support learning about risk?

They enable engineers to understand how the human body responds to impact, supporting evidence-based design decisions and improved safety standards.

What is FEA modelling and why is it a key employability skill?

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a digital engineering tool used across modern industries. It supports analytical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation – skills highlighted in national careers frameworks.

How does helmet and sports safety engineering protect young people?

Engineering-led testing using headforms helps reduce the risk of concussion and serious injury, directly supporting safer participation in sport and physical activity.

Can apprentices and early-career engineers contribute to meaningful projects?

Yes. With appropriate supervision and training, early-career engineers regularly contribute to real, safety-critical projects, gaining valuable experience while delivering positive societal impact.

At Encocam, mentorship is more than a role; it is a commitment to shaping the future. By investing in people today, we help equip tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and skilled professionals with the guidance, confidence, and experience they need to succeed. Mentorship sits at the heart of Encocam’s culture, ensuring every team member feels supported, valued, and inspired to grow both personally and professionally. Through mentoring, individuals gain more than technical knowledge. They develop the essential skills that define the workforce of tomorrow: confidence, adaptability, and the ability to learn through real-world experience. Our approach focuses on clear guidance, encouragement, and practical learning, helping mentees thrive in a supportive environment.

Why Mentorship Matters at Encocam

Effective mentorship has the power to transform careers. As Chris Hartley, HR Manager at Encocam, explains:

Apprenticeships done well build knowledge, skills and confidence that transform careers and strengthen teams

At Encocam, mentorship is the bridge that turns potential into meaningful achievement. Chris, who began his own career as an apprentice, understands first hand the impact a strong mentor can have:

I commit to being the best mentor that I can be because, as a former apprentice, I remember how much a single supportive mentor can positively change someone’s trajectory. Helping someone learn on the job, make mistakes safely and grow into responsibility is how I ensure the apprenticeship journey delivers real, lasting value.

How Does Mentorship Drive Career Growth?

Mentorship is not simply about passing on technical expertise, it is about investing in people. By offering perspective, encouragement, and honest feedback, mentors help individuals recognise their strengths and build confidence in their abilities.

Wendy Wiltshire, Marketing Manager at Encocam, explains why mentoring is so meaningful to her:

Being a mentor matters to me because it’s a chance to invest in someone else’s potential and help them see possibilities they might not yet recognise. It’s deeply rewarding to watch growth happen and know I played a small part in someone’s journey.

Through structured guidance and shared experience, mentees develop resilience, confidence, and leadership capability. Learning alongside experienced mentors allows individuals to experiment, learn from mistakes, and grow in a way that builds skills for life – not just for the role they are in today.

What Skills Does Mentorship at Encocam Develop?

In an ever-evolving workplace, success depends on a balance of technical knowledge and transferable skills such as communication, adaptability, and problem-solving. Mentorship at Encocam supports this development by focusing on:

By combining personal guidance with practical experience, Encocam’s mentors ensure mentees are well prepared for the demands of modern industry and future career progression.

How Mentorship Shapes Encocam’s Culture

Mentorship is a cornerstone of Encocam’s culture. It promotes continuous learning, collaboration, and shared responsibility, creating an environment where growth is a collective effort. Mentors play a vital role in embedding these values into everyday work, strengthening teams across the organisation.

Reflecting on this culture, Wendy Wiltshire shares:

Being a mentor is deeply rewarding because you get to witness growth and know you contributed to someone’s journey. At Encocam, mentoring isn’t just a program – it’s part of who we are

By prioritising mentorship, Encocam ensures knowledge is shared, skills are developed, and career growth becomes a natural and supported part of the employee experience.

Building the Workforce of the Future

Mentorship delivers lasting benefits for both individuals and organisations. For mentees, it builds confidence, capability, and clarity about future career direction. For Encocam, it strengthens teams, supports retention, and encourages innovation.

As Chris Hartley highlights, mentorship turns potential into achievement. With the right guidance and encouragement, individuals grow into confident professionals ready to lead, adapt, and innovate. Through dedicated mentorship, Encocam is building the workforce of the future, one skilled, supported, and inspired professional at a time. By passing on knowledge, nurturing growth, and investing in people, mentorship continues to shape brighter futures across the organisation

Encocam has been an award-winning and highly accredited engineering company for over 35 years. We thrive on innovation and creating opportunities for aspiring individuals to drive their careers with support from our experienced team. Since first starting apprenticeship schemes at Encocam, we have expanded the range of opportunities and currently employ 9 apprentices across the following disciplines:

Why should people pick an Apprenticeship over College or University?

The annual cost of an undergraduate degree in England and Wales has now gone up to £9,535 per academic year, meaning apprenticeships are becoming increasingly more popular. Apprenticeships are paid full-time jobs where you can learn and gain valuable experience working within your desired industry, which makes them the perfect opportunity for individuals to get hands on experience into their future.

According to research from 1,000 employers, 49% said they would employ candidates from their experience opposed to the 24% who would employ based on relevant degrees.  Anyone over the age of 16 can apply to apprenticeships and there are multiple levels that you can choose from, including: Intermediate (Level 2), Advanced (Level 3), Higher (Level 4,5,6,7) and Degree (level 6 and 7). Each level ranges in duration, varying from one year to 4 years and there is also the opportunity to progress the apprenticeship to a higher level after beginning your course if you would like. The benefits of an apprenticeship include the ability to earn whilst learning, gain a certification relevant to your apprenticeship, acquire industry experience, no debt and a variety of career opportunities.

Why choose Encocam?

We are committed to showcasing our apprentices’ skills and encouraging progression opportunities within Encocam; many previous apprentices have stayed with us after they have completed their studies. This includes Encocam’s HR manager, Chris Hartley, who first joined us in 2017 as a HR trainee on a Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship. He then advanced to a Level 3 CIPD HR Support Apprenticeship and has since developed within our company to become a manager. In addition to progression opportunities, we also run an Apprentice of the Year competition, our apprentices are given a challenge and set of tasks to complete which aligns with their apprenticeship courses and then they go on to present their ideas to our Business Unit Managers. We believe that this benefits our apprentices by gaining new, important skills for their futures. The goal of the competition is to challenge our apprentices to think innovatively whilst developing their skills further.

We believe that apprentices are beneficial in bringing fresh perspectives and a new energy to the work environment at Encocam. We are passionate about developing our apprentices and this has been recognised. In early 2024, Matthew Wiltshire, Engineering Apprentice, received the Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award from Cambridge Regional College, with the judges commending him for his performance and perseverance in progressing from a Level 3 to a Level 4 Apprenticeship.

We are also members of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) for the East of England, supporting an initiative to encourage businesses to be actively involved in apprenticeship schemes.

Working as an apprentice provides individuals with benefits such as:

What our apprentices think:

Evie Ferry – Level 6 BSc (Hons) Digital Marketer Degree Apprentice

I have worked with Encocam since August 2024 and recently began my 4-year course at Anglia Ruskin University, where I learn the key fundamentals for marketing, with this I attend workshops each term and learn through an online platform. I was determined to do a degree apprenticeship due the ability for me to achieve a degree whilst receiving an income and valuable work environment experiences. The support from my team, mentors and other staff has been extremely helpful and welcoming. I have found it to be very hands-on which has been great for my development and confidence; I am given a variety of tasks which is helping me to learn different aspects of Marketing whilst also contributing to business development. I am extremely grateful that I began working at Encocam, every day is different, and I am constantly learning.

Ciera Norman – Level 3 HR Support Apprentice

I started my apprenticeship in September 2024 at Cambridge Regional College. It’s coming up to a year since I began working at Encocam, the support from the team around me has made any challenges far less turbulent, but I also used these experiences as opportunities for me to learn and broaden my expertise within the HR field. It has been great, and I am looking forward to what is next. The last few months have been very busy, and my workload has massively increased, however, I have enjoyed every moment of it. My team are always supporting me with skills and knowledge from their expertise and assist me whenever necessary, making my experience here an incredibly rewarding one. I chose to work at Encocam because of my passion for helping people. Working here has given me the opportunity to learn and develop both my personal and workplace skills, as well as allowing me to learn more about engineering, which I have never previously been exposed to.

Megan King – Level 2 Textiles Apprentice

I have worked at Encocam for 14 months. The work has been very versatile, whether it be making various products from our range, working on Adobe/Inkscape training, projects delegated by my manager such as re-upholstering chairs or product research. I have received incredible support from my manager and other members of staff. One of my favourite moments so far has been starting my training at WEBBS in September 2024, which is a training course where I learn new machinist skills which may open further opportunities for me. Encocam provides great opportunities to learn new skills within a different industry, I have always loved textiles and being able to work within an in-house textiles department is rare, so the opportunity is great to experience. This has always been what I wanted to do for my career and my age isn’t seen as a lack of experience, it is seen as a fresh perspective so I knew this would be a great place to work, along with working with other creative, knowledgeable and innovative individuals.

Tyler Dunkley – Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice

My experience so far at Encocam has been great. I felt reassured during the first couple of months as the people at Encocam made it easy for me to settle in to both the work environment and the apprenticeship. There has never been a lack of support, I am comfortable with asking people questions and have found that everyone in the workplace is happy to help where needed. I had my mind set on an apprenticeship and knew it would be the best thing for me to gain hands on experience whilst being able to learn. My favourite experience so far is helping with customer enquiries, it was nice being able to look back and acknowledge where I’ve been able to assist customers with their problems. After my first interview, I knew Encocam was the right place for me, and I wanted to work here because of the people, their professionalism, and resources.

We have incredible support systems around the business which will help you along your journey, including a friendly apprentice networking community, mentor support and a HR team with apprenticeship experience to assist with any concerns. We are always looking to welcome new apprentices into Encocam, so If you think you are ready to embark on a new journey, build your career and contribute to our dynamic work environment, please contact us at recruitment@encocam.com for further information.