MKE Engineering Group would not exist if it did not hire apprentices.

Founded in 1955, the company originally repaired electric motors and had to hire apprentices because no tradesmen existed with the specific skills required to do the job.

Over the last 15 years, the company’s work has diversified but they have maintained the model of hiring apprentices out of a different necessity.

They have an aging workforce and began a recruitment drive five years ago to ensure the business is still in a good place in 10 years time, when many current staff will have retired.

The company uses training provider IPS to run its apprenticeships, which begin with new recruits spending 10-months exclusively at the learning centre’s workshops on the Medway City Estate in Strood.

They then spend the rest of their apprenticeships working on site at MKE’s bases in Sittingbourne, Rainham or Erith.

At present, the firm has seven apprentices, another six on probation having completed their studies and another 13 employees who have become full-time staff after finishing the apprenticeship programme, out of a total of 120 staff.

“We would be struggling in 10 years if we hadn’t taken that strategy,” said operations manager Shaun Stickings.

“About 20 years ago, you could pick up the traders we wanted off the street but the last 10 years have been a struggle.

“We have got to take on apprentices because otherwsie we won’t have an industry in years to come.

“We also have our customers’ apprentices come here to give them an understanding of what we do.”

The company still employs the third person who ever joined as an apprentice and saw their first ever apprentice – and longest-serving staff member – retire two years ago.

Mr Stickings added: “Not everyone’s academic. I left school with no qualifications. I discovered I was dyslexic at 16 but I wasn’t stupid.

“I was never going to go to university so I went down the apprentice route and now I’m running a company.

“They are a stepping stone to get a trade and understanding of an industry before you move on to the next thing.”

The company also employs two people who it put through degrees, one of which did an apprenticeship with the firm.

Darren Sweeting, 26, is now the company’s machine shop supervisor.

Mr Stickings said: “An apprenticeship gives people an understanding of a business in general.

“Then it is not hard to go through a degree and work your way up to a management position.”

To find out more about hiring an apprentice, click here, or email kickstartkent@thekmgroup.co.uk.