The new financial backing is the brainchild of Michael Orlik and his sons Anthony and Phillip, who have gifted £25,000 to the Training Manufacturing Group (TMG)’s charitable fund in memory of their wife and mum Susan – a passionate advocate of giving young people the best start in education and employment.
It means that In-Comm Training, a leading independent provider of apprenticeships and training, can increase the reach of its programme and this has seen the company enlist five additional schools to take part in an intensive mix of STEM workshops.
This includes Bristnall Hall Academy, Joseph Leckie Academy, Lyndon School, Wood Green Academy and Blue Coat Church of England Academy.
Encouragingly, there is enough money in the fund to invite a further ten schools to be involved in one of two special STEM workshops.
Michael Orlik said: “My wife Susan had a fantastic career in education and always shared a desire to give young people - who have often faced challenges early in their lives - a chance to have the best possible career they could.
“This is what inspired my sons and I to explore the possibility of backing the STEM Engagement Fund in her memory, after she sadly passed away from cancer in 2022.
“The world can be a difficult place for 14 to 16-year-olds in the Black Country and Birmingham, and if we can make a positive difference, in some small way, then that would be the best possible legacy for Susan.
“We wanted to focus on apprenticeships and, in particular engineering and manufacturing.
“The region used to be such a global force of industry and, if we are going to compete internationally again, we need young talent coming through, yet many school pupils never consider a career in this field.
“The larger STEM Engagement Fund will hopefully change that.
“We’ll give them a taste of what skills you need, what the career path looks like and then there will be more in-depth practical days and the chance to talk to current apprenticeships.
“The idea is that we get at least 30 more apprentices signed up every year.”
Each of the core five schools will experience £4000 worth of support, starting with either a F1 in Schools programme or a full STEM workshop involving a minimum of 120 pupils.
This is very much an overarching introduction to apprenticeships and will be followed up by two Apprenticeship Taster Days, where 15 pupils on each day will be invited into In-Comm Training’s Technical Academy.
Leanne Mee, STEM engagement lead at In-Comm Training, continued: “The Orlik family have opened a possible career in engineering and manufacturing to another 2000 young people with their generosity.
“It will make such a difference to pupils across the Black Country and Birmingham and will no doubt create some of the industrial leaders of the future.”
“The scheme, which was facilitated by former Metsec plc MD Steve Tilsley, is working well, with the additional funding helping In-Comm reach even more young people, giving them access to a world class technical academy and more than 30 tutors who have significant experience and skills in this sector.
