Star Micronics GB, has created an opportunity for an applications engineering apprentice at its Melbourne, Derbyshire headquarters and has appointed Joe Whiteside, 18, to fill the vacancy.

Sliding-head lathe specialist, Star Micronics GB, has created an opportunity for an applications engineering apprentice at its Melbourne, Derbyshire headquarters and has appointed Joe whiteside, 18, to fill the vacancy. Joe was already known to the company, having recently taken an AVCE Engineering at nearby Chellaston School, during which he used the facilities at Star to help fulfil the practical part of the course, which was to design a water sprinkler and mill-turn the parts on a sliding-headstock lathe. Nevertheless, to benchmark Joe and approach the exercise even-handedly, managing director Bob Hunt contacted Training Services 2000, Derby, which recommend two further potential apprentices.

After careful evaluation, Joe was considered to be the best candidate.

One of the most difficult jobs Bob has had to do this year, he says, was to tell the other two that they did not quite make it, as they were both of very high calibre.

He said, 'There is already a shortage of production and applications engineers in the machine tool industry and that is likely to worsen in the next decade as skilled people retire.

'Over a third of our staff is applications-biased and the proportion is rising, as we see more and more opportunity to do that job for our customers, which are increasingly reluctant to take on production engineers and the associated overheads.

'We see our apprenticeship scheme as helping to put a little back into the industry by training engineers of the future, and we hope to take on a second young person next year in the service department'.

Joe whiteside added, 'Over the next three and a half years I will be studying on day release at Mackworth College, Derby, and taking a series of modules leading to a B.Tec and on to HNC level.

Star has said that it will sponsor me if I decide to go on to read for a degree.

'Being immersed in an engineering company will be of great help, as I shall be exposed to the latest technology, including machines, controls, tooling and materials.

I will also have the chance within the first year to shadow the sale of a lathe from order placement through applications and cutting trials to delivery and commissioning, learning all the way'.