Category: News
In 2016, as Western Mechanical Handling (WMH) celebrated 40 years in business, the company faced a challenge familiar to many engineering firms. While WMH had built a highly skilled and loyal workforce over four decades, many of its experienced welder fabricators were approaching retirement.
Recognising the need to safeguard vital skills and knowledge for the future, WMH made a strategic decision to invest in home-grown talent. That year, the company recruited its first two welder fabricator apprentices, Charlie Hickman and Ian Barriball.
Ten years later, both have completed their training and progressed into valued members of the WMH team, demonstrating the long-term benefits of apprenticeships for both individuals and businesses.
Building a Career Through Apprenticeships
For Charlie Hickman, joining WMH as an Apprentice Fabricator Welder marked the beginning of a career that would take him around the world.
After gaining experience in fabrication, welding and mechanical fitting, Charlie developed expertise across every stage of a project, from manufacturing and assembly through to testing, installation and commissioning. His progression led him into WMH’s Tetra Pak service division, where he travelled throughout Europe, Central America, South America and Asia providing technical support, servicing and commissioning expertise.
Today, Charlie manages WMH’s Tetra Pak service operations while also taking on wider project management responsibilities.
“The apprenticeship route gave me practical experience, recognised qualifications and opportunities I never expected, including travelling around the world.”
Among his career highlights are installing a major ASRS system in Nebraska and commissioning cheese packing equipment in Inner Mongolia.
Learning, Earning and Progressing
Ian Barriball joined WMH alongside Charlie in 2016, attracted by the opportunity to learn a trade while earning from day one.
Over the years, Ian has developed into one of WMH’s key fabricator welders, earning a reputation for producing high-quality work both in the workshop and on customer sites. Working alongside experienced colleagues allowed him to develop valuable technical skills while gaining recognised qualifications.
For Ian, one of the greatest advantages of an apprenticeship was the opportunity to build a career without accumulating student debt.
“It allowed me to gain qualifications, practical experience and financial independence from the start.”
A standout moment in Ian’s career was his involvement in a major ASRS project, where he contributed to both the fabrication and installation phases, including a four-week installation programme in the United States.
Today, he is equally proud of the personal milestones his career has enabled, including owning a home and raising a family.
The Value of Investing in People
Charlie and Ian’s success highlights the value of apprenticeships both for young people and for businesses seeking to secure specialist skills for the future.
What began as a response to an ageing workforce became the foundation of WMH’s long-term talent development strategy. Their journeys demonstrate how apprenticeships can provide recognised qualifications, practical experience, financial independence and genuine career progression.
Investing in the Next Generation
The success of WMH’s first apprentices reinforced the company’s commitment to developing young talent.
Now, as WMH celebrates 50 years in business, the company has welcomed its latest apprentice, taking the total number recruited across all areas of the business to ten over the past decade.
These apprentices have developed valuable technical skills, gained recognised qualifications and become important members of the WMH team. Their success has helped create a sustainable pipeline of talent while ensuring vital engineering knowledge is passed on to the next generation.
When WMH recruited Charlie and Ian in 2016, the objective was simple: secure the future of the business by developing the next generation of engineers. A decade later, that decision has proven to be a resounding success.
As WMH enters its sixth decade and welcomes its tenth apprentice, the company remains committed to investing in people, developing skills and creating rewarding career opportunities. The success of its apprenticeship programme is helping ensure that the engineering expertise, craftsmanship and innovation that have underpinned WMH for 50 years will continue for many years to come.