Caunton have recently obtained planning permission for a new factory extension at their site in Moorgreen. This new facility will create vacancies for new jobs for the neighbourhood in particular, and will require skilled workers to fill these; hence the need for a Training Academy.

The scheme launched on the 1st November is offering initially six Craft apprenticeships, and six Technical design and drafting training places every year. The scheme will also be scheduled to accommodate those, men or women, who may wish at some stage to make a career change.

The Craft places will specialise in the training of steel fabrication skills and computer controlled machinery operation. The Technical places are being filled by graduates and students of both the two local universities, Nottingham and Trent.

Caunton's Managing Director, Simon Bingham has said -

'This development is a welcome boost for industry in the Nottinghamshire area. It is impressive that since Caunton moved into what was the former British Coal site at Moorgreen in 1990, annual turnover has increased from £3.5m to currently £24m. Furthermore the company will soon be employing over 200 people at their Moorgreen location.'

Simon emphasised just how grateful the company has been for the most excellent and consistent support received from Broxtowe Council over these past fourteen years.

Caunton's facility is of course only part of a major redevelopment of the whole area. With Broxtowe Council's help and encouragement the loss of all coal mining jobs in 1987 has more than been offset by over 600 new jobs created on the total site since 1990. The Council have been successful in securing major European Funding and has put in much time and effort in re-building what was at one time a desolate mining site.

Simon argues too that it is most encouraging to see new jobs in manufacturing being created when one reads that so many nationally are being lost to the Far East. Caunton are arguably world leaders in their field of engineering and are confident of a secure future in their particular sector of steel construction. The company has a full order book and is currently working relatively locally at Rolls-Royce, Hucknall supplying steelwork for the major new Combustion Facility there, and on many projects nation-wide including supplying steelwork for extensions to the world-famous Stoke Mandeville Hospital.