Case study: Mazak

Event: Mazak industry visit with Max

Number of pupils attending: 5

Aim of the Activity

• Our Careers adviser Paula Collins has set up a range of visits to local employers within and around Worcester to support our Year 10 students. Visit planned for students to:
• Increase employer engagement
• The workings of a workplace visit
• Raise students’ aspirations
• Raising industry sectors profile and appeal to students
• Providing LMI learning Future apprenticeships
• Linking Gatsby Benchmark 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Activity

Pupils were excited but nervous for their visit to Yamazaki Mazak UK Ltd, which is based at the European manufacturing plant in Worcester, which also houses the European Technology Centre (ETC) and is the UK’s largest and most expert team of engineers, with vast experience in machine tool applications for almost every industry sector.

We arrived prompt at 10am as we wanted to make a good impression and were greeted by Max in the main area of reception. We were then taken to one of their executive rooms to have an overview of the company. We watched a PowerPoint presentation which gave an overview of the company, the countries they are situated in and how they make their money.

Max spoke to the students about the products they make, how expensive the machinery is and how the company work on a day to day running. Their machinery makes knee and hip replacements, aeroplane parts as well as wind turbines.

We were taken on a tour of the production warehouse by two apprentices’ warehouse and see on a first-hand basis the machinery being created. There were massive machines which they place a sheet of steel into, then programmed the computer and a laser cuts out the template. The robot can be reprogrammed to do many different jobs. The pupils were blown away by the technology and stood just gazing at the sheer size and magnitude of the machinery and what it could do.

The machinery is purposely built within the building due to them not being able to transport it to the production warehouse. These machines were huge and cost millions of pounds!! We were not allowed to take any photos due to the advance technology being used.
The pupils were fascinated by the whole experience.

Max informed the students that many students complete work experience at the company, however it is highly sought after, and pupils must go through an interview process.

The company also have an apprenticeship scheme. To be considered, students need to have at least 5 GCSEs of grade 5/6 or above. It is a 3 to 4-year programme and they must wear a blue shirt so that they are identifiable on the shop floor. They work in all areas of the company and after 6 months they can choose the field they want to progress into. This gave our students lots to think about. They were surprised when they were informed that apprenticeships were given a financial adviser, as the jump from college to work is a big one and it stops them getting into financial debt and begin to manage their own finances.

Impact of Activity

The students were engaged throughout and had never experienced anything like this. It showed them what they could achieve if they put their minds to it. The visit also exposed the students to different job roles within the company, from HR, cleaner, office staff to engineers.

Quotes from the Students

• ‘How much does an apprenticeship earn’
• ‘Does the machine work all the time’
• ‘Yes, it is programmed to work, unless there is a problem and then it will stop and highlight what is wrong’
• ‘Why has the room got temperatures displayed’
• ‘The machines need ventilation, so we have temperature gauges to ensure that the room is not overheating.’
• ‘How does the robot arm know to move’
• ‘It is programmed to complete certain movements depending on what it is cutting’

The visit couldn’t have gone any better. It gave our students a unique experience, one they won’t forget, as well as giving them the inspiration to see where they could work in the future, with the addition that the tour guides were only a year older than themselves. The guides did emphasis that it really is worth putting the effort in now as it will benefit them later. (Which really is not that long) They knew nothing about the company before they visited and now, they could see what sort of opportunities were available to them.

The students will now complete some research about other similar companies and how they compare.