We operate a four year graduate programme which consists of between three and five assignments, each lasting 6 to 12 months, mentored by an experienced line manager and tailored to personal needs and ambitions. We can also offer overseas training assignments. and our training leads to chartered engineering status with the IMECHE or IEE.

We also assist and support Edwards people externally. Read their stories below.

Edwards is involved in workforce training in a number of ways for both operational and managerial staff.

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) were introduced in the UK to improve work skills and prove candidates have the knowledge and ability to perform well in particular occupations.
Edwards believes that NVQs increase individual competence as well as organisational efficiency, with significant benefits in terms of improved employee performance and motivation. They give the competencies required for individuals to develop further in the organisation and demonstrate Edwards’ commitment to investing in people.

Edwards NVQ programme was launched at Eastbourne in 1999 and we have supported nearly 30 candidates there to gain qualifications in engineering production, distribution and warehousing and technical services. Eastbourne expanded its programme recently to include NVQs in manufacturing engineering and management.

At Burgess Hill, we have helped 20 candidates gain qualifications in manufacturing operations and engineering production and at Shoreham, 30 candidates have qualified in the new NVQ in mechanical manufacturing engineering. Edwards had the first candidate in the UK to complete this.

Since 2007 we have also been involved in the Young Apprentice Scheme and have given work placements to several 14-16 year olds.

We are now looking at schemes to support training initiatives in other areas of the world where we now manufacture and where we require not only low cost, but also high quality.

In terms of developing managerial skills, we have invested in offering employees access to online learning with the highly renowned Ashridge College of Management. Edwards jointly developed the e-learning materials with Ashridge as part of a syndicate of companies. Ashridge on-line provides access to a number of management training resources and is a global tool that is also available on CD-ROM.

The Ashridge Learning Guides allow immediate access to an extensive range of management learning materials based on a comprehensive overview of recent management thinking, a description of the best learning resources and a review of practical development activities.

The internal feedback on Ashridge has been very positive and is actively promoted through the organisation.

In the UK, Edwards has also sponsored a number of employees from operations and manufacturing engineering on Cranfield University’s two year part-time, Operations Excellence MSc.

The aim of the course is to develop the capability of manufacturing engineers which also helps improvements in manufacturing competitiveness in their organisations.

The course was established by Cranfield in 2003 in association with Rolls-Royce and the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge University. In the second year in which the course was offered, Edwards provided three students

Cranfield is a highly prestigious postgraduate university, with an excellent global reputation and courses designed to help develop engineers and managers of the future.

Last year Ben Smith, an engineering cell leader from Burgess Hill, was awarded the prize as best overall student.