26 June 2012
Rugby MP Mark Pawsey was able to drill down to some of the issues facing British industry when he visited an award-winning company in his constituency.
D-Drill, which has its headquarters in Shilton, near Coventry, is the largest diamond drilling and concrete sawing company in the UK with eight depots across the country.
It has won widespread recognition for its training policy and the fact that around 45 per cent of its employees have come through its apprenticeship scheme.
Pawsey was shown the work of the company and was taught the basics of drilling by apprentice Mark Bartlam, while D-Drill managing director Julie White outlined some of the challenges facing the company.
He said: “It is really important that I have strong links with companies in my constituency.
“Not only can I offer support with any issues they face, but also it gives me a real understanding of the business landscape and how Government can help with national policy.
“I can then feed that back to the relevant people or bodies at Westminster.
“I had been aware of D-Drill through the awards it has won, but it was really interesting to see its work close at hand.
“I was delighted to see how well the company is doing in the face of a difficult climate, particularly in the construction sector. Julie White is obviously a very ‘hands-on’ MD, driving her business forward and I wish her every success. I will look forward to welcoming her to Westminster when she visits in the near future.
“D-Drill as a company puts a great deal of emphasis on training and bringing young people into the industry which is fantastic.
“It was clear to see how much Mark enjoys his work and values the opportunity the company has given him.”
D-Drill takes on around 12 to 15 apprentices every year but has trouble recruiting suitable candidates because of its specialised nature and the fact it is spread across the UK.
White said: “Unfortunately we do not fit into criteria set down by the National Apprenticeship Service which means we get no help in recruiting our apprentices.
“Also we are not able to have access to young people who want to go into construction but have not been kept on by national operators at the end of their apprenticeships.
“Both those factors do make it difficult for us and mean that we have to go through a massive amount of time – a process which we believe could be made a great deal easier.
“Sometimes, when you are an independent company, it is easy to feel you are banging your head against a brick wall.
“Mark Pawsey used to run his own firm and it was clear from the meeting that he understands the pressure companies like ours are under and has promised to look into the issues.”
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