ED Pitt left Queen Elizabeth High School in Bromyard aged 16 in 1991.

His elder brother was interested in the family farm but Ed decided that the world must have something else to offer him and applied to Herefordshire Group Training Association (HGTA) for a mechanical engineering apprenticeship!

He was eventually employed by Ken Davies, managing director of KGD Industrial Services, as an apprentice technician, having spent the first year off-the-job training at HGTA’s Engineering Training Centre. Throughout his fouryear apprenticeship, Ed attended day-release at college and achieved ONC and HNC in mechanical engineering. On completion, Ed became a project engineer for the company.

Since then, Ed has been works development engineer, engineering manager and for the last three years has been operations director.

He now oversees a busy design office and co-ordinates with the manufacturing department to achieve the finished products.

Ed says: “An apprenticeship has suited me and I would recommend this route to anyone.

“You begin a career immediately and gain knowledge and skills with internationally recognised qualifications, alongside the opportunity to develop into a leader in whichever area your apprenticeship is in.”

Ken Davies comments: “There are many advantages in workplace training.

“Firstly, the ability to earn, learn and carry on with academic qualifications at the same time. Secondly, it brings a wide range of vital experience to each apprentice over a relatively long period, allowing development of the individuals to take place naturally.”