Yamazaki Mazak has been recognised as one of the top employers in Worcestershire following its long-standing work with local education institutions and commitment to sustainable job creation.

Mazak stands out as one of just 12 businesses in the region to be awarded the Cornerstone Certificate by Worcestershire County Council’s Local Enterprise Partnership. It celebrates employers with a deep-rooted culture of fostering the next generation of talent and an on-going commitment to nurturing the future workforce, continuously enhancing skills and promoting academic achievement.

The company employs over 600 people at its European Manufacturing Plant in Worcester, which has the capacity to build over 1,000 machine tools a year. Mazak provides diverse opportunities for individuals interested in pursuing careers in manufacturing and business, appealing to a wide range of candidates, including recent school, college and university graduates, as well as mid-career professionals seeking a change.

It has successfully trained over 250 apprentices, a significant number of whom currently hold senior positions within the company. This year, Mazak already hosted two recruitment ‘open houses’ in its European Headquarters in Worcester, along with the Primary STEM Challenge Final, which saw 80 local primary school students engaged in an interactive engineering design challenge. The company has recently welcomed its latest cohort of production and business administration apprentices who commenced their training in September.

Mazak, as a Cornerstone Employer, will collaborate with a consortium of local businesses in a leadership capacity with the shared objective of enhancing support for schools, colleges and young people in the area.

Gary Woodman, chief executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We are delighted to have Yamazaki Mazak UK on board as one of our Cornerstone Employers. As a company, they often go above and beyond to support our careers guidance activity and have done so for many years now. By supporting our work with schools, they are ensuring that the younger generations in Worcestershire are aware of the career options available to them on their doorstep, helping inspire their future workforce.”

Max Jones, people development manager, for Yamazaki Mazak UK, added: “Yamazaki Mazak UK is delighted to be recognised as a Cornerstone Employer by Worcestershire County Council. We are very proud of the work we do within local schools, colleges and organisations to support young people in achieving their goals and aspirations for the future. As a global manufacturer of world class machine tools, we are committed to the principle of excellent corporate citizenship and by offering advice, experience, time, opportunity and education, we aim to inspire the next generation of professionals to achieve their full potential.”

www.mazakeu.co.uk