Two hundred permanent jobs have recently been created at Perkins’ Peterborough manufacturing facility, which this year celebrates 80 years of business in the city.

In addition to making 200 temporary shopfloor workers into permanent employees, the Eastfield based business is now starting its annual apprentice recruitment process, working in conjunction with local colleges and schools to take on 18 technical apprentices and seven business trainees from September.

Increasing demand for Perkins’ diesel engines, which are shipped around the world to power agricultural, construction, materials handling and electric power applications, has led the engineering firm to create the additional permanent positions in its manufacturing facilities at the Peterborough site.

“A growing demand for our world-renowned engines and a greater stability in the global manufacturing economy has enabled us to recognise the commitment shown by our agency employees, by offering 200 of them permanent employment,” said operations manager, Jim Ritchie.

He continued: “Perkins is a global business with a commitment to its base here in Peterborough. We are all very proud of the quality products we produce on a daily basis and of our people, who are committed to ensuring our customers’ exacting needs are met.”

With more than 3,700 people working at its Eastfield facility, Perkins is one of the largest employers in Peterborough. Aside from its contribution to the local economy, Perkins also plays a significant role in the wider community and through its ongoing work with schools and colleges; the business has been employing apprentices from across the city for more than 50 years.
 
Many of these apprentices have gone on to attain prominent roles within the business, which in part is thanks to the training and work experience they obtain during the three-year apprenticeship programme.

Perkins has now started its recruitment process for 25 apprenticeship opportunities, available in two programmes covering engineering as technical apprentices and commercial roles, as business trainees. Apprenticeships are available in areas such as maintenance, manufacturing engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, sales and marketing, supply chain and HR.

More than 70 people attended a recent open day at Perkins’ Peterborough site, all keen to learn more about the apprenticeship opportunities. The visit included a presentation on the company, the programmes that are available, a factory tour, and a question and answer session with current apprentices and managers.

Tony Green, facility manager, who is supporting the apprenticeship recruitment scheme said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to increase not only our permanent workforce, but are also creating more job opportunities through our ever-popular apprenticeship scheme.

“As well as providing a great structured training programme, there are also many opportunities for our talented and enthusiastic apprentices and business trainees to progress through further and higher education, with many of them destined to become leaders in the future.”

Perkins’ commitment to its employees and its future apprentices was praised by Peterborough City Council leader Marco Cereste, who said: “This is excellent news from one of city’s most established and well known employers. As well as creating jobs at a senior level, I am delighted to see a wealth of opportunities for apprentices starting out in their working lives. This is further evidence of a growing city with plenty of opportunity to establish rewarding, world class careers.”