Specialist Gear Company Filling Engineering Skills Gaps with Apprenticeships

National Training Federation for Wales , 29th March 2021

Developing a multi-skilled and flexible workforce has helped Compact Orbital Gears become a leading name in specialist gear transmissions for more than 50 years.

The company, which has a workforce of 43 based in Rhayader, designs, manufactures and develops bespoke gear solutions for aerospace, automotive and clean energy customers.

This ability to offer bespoke solutions is key to the company’s success. Established in the 1960s, Compact Orbital Gears is proud of its highly skilled workforce, family ethos and long history of recruiting apprentices from within Mid Wales.

Now the company has been shortlisted for the Small Employer of the Year award at the prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021.

This annual celebration of outstanding achievement in training and apprenticeships will see 35 finalists compete in 12 categories for awards. The winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony on April 29.

Compact Orbital Gears’ production manager Rob Price (front) with apprentices Ruben Clements, Rowan Morgan and Ollie Leadbetter and Luke Jones, who has completed his apprenticeship

Highlight of the work-based learning calendar, the awards showcase businesses and individuals who have excelled on the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes and gone the extra mile to achieve success during these unprecedented times.

The awards are jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW). Openreach, the UK’s digital network business and passionate supporter of apprenticeships, has renewed its headline sponsorship of the awards.

The Apprenticeship Programme in Wales is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.

Compact Orbital Gears currently has three apprentices and five other young employees working towards Further Education qualifications. Myrick Training and NPTC Newtown Campus deliver qualifications including Performing Engineering Operations Level 2, Extended Diploma Mechanical Engineering Manufacture Level 3, HNC Level 4 in Mechanical Engineering and a BTEC in Business and Administration.

A focus on growing its own pool of skilled engineers is paying off for Compact Orbital Gears at a time when there is a UK shortage. Its Apprenticeship Programme provides technical training, supported by in-house specialist instruction with experienced employees sharing their skills and knowledge with apprentices.

Providing opportunities for development ensures that staff turnover at Compact Orbital Gears is very low and the company’s long term aim is to introduce state-of -the art, computer aided machinery which is ideally suited to apprentice development.

Believing that organic growth is key to the success of the business, the company also provides work placements for university graduates and budding engineers in local schools.

Compact Orbital Gears’ production manager Rob Price with apprentice Rowan Morgan.

Tricia Evans, Compact Orbital Gears’ financial controller, said:

“Most of our employees started with the company on an Apprenticeship Programme, one having recently completed 50 years of service with us.

“It is essential to the future success of our company that we develop and encourage new recruits, as they bring with them new learning and fresh ideas.”

Nick Jones, training and engineering manager at Myrick Training, said:

“Compact Orbital Gears is very strong at recognising potential future engineering skills gaps in its workforce and is driven by a desire to support and nurture talent from within the company.”

Minister for the Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said:

“Our Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes are helping people fulfil their career ambitions and I’m delighted we have already reached our target of creating 100,000 apprenticeships in this Senedd term.

“This has been key in helping apprentices of all ages to gain important skills and experience that we know businesses across all sectors of the economy in Wales really need. This will be vital as we emerge from the pandemic.

“Apprenticeship Awards Cymru provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate and showcase the achievements of all involved, from star apprentices to skilled learning providers.

“I’d like to congratulate all the finalists announced for this year's event and wish each and every one all the best for the future.”

Bu datblygu gweithlu hyblyg â sgiliau amrywiol yn help i sicrhau bod Compact Orbital Gears yn enw blaenllaw yn y diwydiant gêrs arbenigol ers dros hanner canrif.

Mae’r cwmni, sy’n cyflogi 43 yn Rhaeadr Gwy, yn dylunio, yn cynhyrchu ac yn datblygu gêrs pwrpasol ar gyfer cwsmeriaid yn y byd awyrofod, moduron ac ynni glân.

Y gallu hwn i gynnig cynnyrch wedi’i gynllunio’n arbennig yw’r allwedd i lwyddiant y cwmni. Sefydlwyd Compact Orbital Gears yn yr 1960au ac mae’n ymfalchïo yn ei weithlu medrus, ei ysbryd teuluol a’i hanes maith o gyflogi prentisiaid o’r Canolbarth.

Yn awr, mae’r cwmni wedi cyrraedd y rhestr fer ar gyfer gwobr Cyflogwr Bach y Flwyddyn yng ngornest fawreddog Gwobrau Prentisiaethau Cymru 2021.

[caption id="attachment_126308" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Rheolwr cynhyrchu Compact Orbital Gears, Rob Price gyda’r prentisiaid Ruben Clements, Rowan Morgan, Ollie Leadbetter a Luke Jones, sydd wedi cwblhau ei brentisiaeth.[/caption]

Yn y dathliad blynyddol hwn o lwyddiant eithriadol ym maes hyfforddiant a phrentisiaethau, mae 35 o ymgeiswyr wedi cyrraedd y rhestrau byrion mewn 12 categori. Cyhoeddir enwau’r enillwyr mewn seremoni wobrwyo ddigidol ar 29 Ebrill.

Y gwobrau yw uchafbwynt blwyddyn byd dysgu seiliedig ar waith. Maent yn rhoi sylw i fusnesau ac unigolion sydd wedi rhagori yn Rhaglenni Prentisiaethau a Hyfforddeiaethau Llywodraeth Cymru ac wedi mynd yr ail filltir i lwyddo yn ystod y cyfnod anodd hwn.

Trefnir y gwobrau ar y cyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Ffederasiwn Hyfforddiant Cenedlaethol Cymru (NTfW). Openreach, busnes rhwydwaith digidol y Deyrnas Unedig a chwmni sy’n frwd o blaid prentisiaethau, yw’r prif noddwr eleni eto.

Caiff y Rhaglen Brentisiaethau yng Nghymru ei hariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru gyda chymorth Cronfa Gymdeithasol Ewrop (ESF).

Mae gan Compact Orbital Gears dri phrentis a phump o weithwyr ifanc eraill yn gweithio tuag at gymwysterau Addysg Bellach ar hyn o bryd. Myrick Training a Grŵp Colegau NPTC, Campws y Drenewydd sy’n darparu’r cymwysterau yn cynnwys Cyflawni Gweithrediadau Peirianneg (Lefel 2), Diploma Estynedig mewn Gweithgynhyrchu Peirianneg Fecanyddol Lefel 3, HNC Lefel 4 mewn Peirianneg Fecanyddol a BTEC mewn Busnes a Gweinyddu.

Mae’r penderfyniad i ganolbwyntio ar ddatblygu ei gronfa ei hunan o beirianwyr medrus yn talu’r ffordd i Compact Orbital Gears mewn cyfnod o brinder ledled Prydain. Mae’r Rhaglen Brentisiaethau’n cynnig hyfforddiant technegol, gyda chyfarwyddyd arbenigol gan weithwyr profiadol yn y cwmni sy’n rhannu eu sgiliau a’u gwybodaeth gyda’r prentisiaid.

Gan fod Compact Orbital Gears yn cynnig cyfleoedd i ddatblygu, mae’r staff yn tueddu i aros yn hir a nod hirdymor y cwmni yw cyflwyno peiriannau cyfrifiadurol, modern, a fydd yn ddelfrydol ar gyfer helpu prentisiaid i ddatblygu.

Ym marn y cwmni, mae twf organig yn allweddol i’w lwyddiant, ac mae’n cynnig lleoliadau gwaith i raddedigion ac i ddarpar beirianwyr o ysgolion yr ardal.

[caption id="attachment_126309" align="alignnone" width="750"] Rheolwr cynhyrchu Compact Orbital Gears, Rob Price gyda Rowan Morgan, un o brentisiaid y cwmni.[/caption]

Dywedodd Tricia Evans, rheolwr cyllid Compact Orbital Gears:

“Ymunodd y rhan fwyaf o’n gweithwyr â’r cwmni fel prentisiaid ac mae un newydd ddathlu 50 mlynedd o wasanaeth gyda ni.

“Er mwyn i’r cwmni barhau i lwyddo i’r dyfodol, mae’n hanfodol ein bod yn datblygu ac yn annog gweithwyr newydd, gan eu bod yn dod â gwybodaeth newydd a syniadau ffres i’r cwmni.”

Dywedodd Nick Jones, rheolwr hyfforddiant a pheirianneg gyda Myrick Training:

“Mae Compact Orbital Gears yn dda iawn am ragweld bylchau sgiliau yn ei weithlu ac mae’n awyddus iawn i gefnogi a meithrin doniau yn y cwmni ei hunan.”

Dywedodd Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru, Ken Skates:

“Mae ein Rhaglenni Prentisiaethau a Hyfforddeiaethau yn helpu pobl i gyflawni eu huchelgeisiau am yrfa ac rwyf wrth fy modd ein bod eisoes wedi cyrraedd ein nod o greu 100,000 o brentisiaethau yn nhymor y Senedd hon.

“Bu hyn yn allweddol wrth helpu prentisiaid o bob oed i ennill sgiliau a phrofiad pwysig y gwyddom fod ar fusnesau ym mhob sector o’r economi yng Nghymru eu gwir angen. Bydd hyn yn hanfodol wrth i ni ddod allan o gyfnod y pandemig.

“Mae Gwobrau Prentisiaethau Cymru yn gyfle gwych i ddathlu ac arddangos yr hyn a gyflawnwyd gan bawb, o brentisiaid disglair i ddarparwyr dysgu medrus.

“Hoffwn longyfarch pawb sydd wedi cyrraedd y rhestr fer eleni a dymuno’n dda i bob un ohonynt yn y dyfodol.”