Q&A: Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2024

With a dedication to education and excellence, apprenticeships form the bedrock of Surgical Holdings. This week marks National Apprenticeship Week 2024, an excellent opportunity to spotlight and celebrate the amazing opportunities apprenticeships bring – a chance to gain plenty of hands-on experience, develop valuable skills, and earn while you learn! This year’s theme is “Skills for Life”, something that we aspire to achieve for every single apprentice who walks through our doors.

At Surgical Holdings, education is at the heart of everything we do. We are incredibly proud to have over five decades of knowledge and experience in our workshop, and one of our most important business goals is to help develop the skills and confidence of young people through apprenticeships. This means that we can continue to pass on that incredible knowledge as we train the next generation of instrument makers and medical device professionals!

Our team of technicians all undertake a minimum apprenticeship of 5 years and are trained to manufacture instruments, not just repair them – something that we think gives us a unique 360 degree understanding of the challenge and the importance of correctly functioning medical devices, and the vital role they play in patient care at every step.

As a family business, it’s also important to us to ensure they have plenty of opportunity to progress through the ranks and grow within the business. Our Managing Director Daniel Coole is testament to that having started an apprenticeship in 1995 to learn skills across the business.

We’re marking this year’s National Apprenticeship Week in style with a short

Q&A with one of our star apprentices, Jamie. Check it out below.

Q. Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?

A. “I applied for the apprenticeship because I saw it as the best way to learn a highly skilled trade, build on my skills and experience, and lay a solid foundation for a career in this industry. I am currently 6 months away from finishing my 5-year apprenticeship. Before this, I was studying Engineering and CNC machining at PROCAT college, so it felt like the perfect next step to gain some real hands-on work experience in a really interesting industry.”

Q. What aspect of your apprenticeship have you found most enjoyable?

A: “The best part of my apprenticeship has been the opportunity to shadow skilled technician closely, which is the best way to learn the trade. Manufacturing and repairing surgical instruments both require a lot of skill and precision. We’re taught right from the start that even the tiniest imperfection can have huge implications for patient safety. That’s why paying attention to every detail is so important. Getting hands-on experience has been really great for understanding these intricacies. I’ve also enjoyed having the chance to develop and apply practical skills to complement my knowledge of engineering, particularly in a field that’s so challenging.”

Q: Can you describe a typical day and what you’re likely to be learning?

A: “A typical day for me involves working on repairing surgical instruments. This could mean using hand tools to realign and set instruments, or manufacturing components for repairs. Throughout the process, I’ve gained some really valuable insights into manufacturing components and instruments using operating machinery and hand grinding. I’ve also had the opportunity to learn about the different types of instruments and the incredible skill that goes behind ensuring that they work exactly as they should. No two days are the same!”

Finally, what are your goals for the future, and would you recommend apprenticeships to those looking to take that first step?

A: “In the future I hope to broaden my knowledge on repairing and manufacturing surgical instruments, as well as my knowledge on engineering in this field. Absolutely, I think apprenticeships are great for gaining some gaining valuable skills and learning trades. I would recommend apprenticeships for young adults looking to get into a high skilled field.”

Learn more about our apprenticeships

At Surgical Holdings, we understand that mastering the art of hand-crafting Surgical Instruments to exceptional standards is not something which can be taught in a classroom. It is a traditional skill that can only be honed through hands-on experience. Our apprentices all have a deep appreciation of their craft, the equipment they’re manufacturing, where it’s being used and how important their job is – making sure quality and passion are infused into every step of their work.

Daniel Coole, Managing Director, said; “Apprenticeships have been integral to Surgical Holdings development over the past 35 years. Many of our managers and key staff members started as an apprentice, and over the past 10 years, we’ve expanded our apprenticeship programme to include technicians and administrative. Currently, we have 3 apprentices, and we’re eager to bring more talented young individuals into our team as our business expands.”

Surgical Holdings UK is proud to be a certified supporter of the National Apprentice Scheme, and we manage a regular apprenticeship scheme in collaboration with Prospects College of Advanced Technology. If you’re passionate about learning a valuable trade in the surgical instrument manufacturing industry, we invite you to explore our apprenticeship programmes.

For more information and an exclusive glimpse into our workshop, visit: Surgical Holdings Apprentice Scheme.