MTJB Engineering Ltd

European Regional Development Fund MTJB Engineering Ltd is family run engineering and systems consultancy based in Bristol. The company’s small team of highly skilled engineers are experts in system engineering across multiple sectors, specialising in avionic and electronic systems design and development.

Following the collapse of the aerospace industry due to Covid, the company received an increase in enquiries from larger firms looking to outsource consultancy work. To meet the demand the SME sought support from the West of England Combined Authority’s Workforce for the Future programme (co-funded by the West of England Combined Authority and the European Social Fund (ESF)) to upskill and expand its workforce.

Business West, one of the expert partners delivering the programme, provided a Business Skills Advisor to work 1:1 with MTJB Engineering Ltd to understand the company and the challenges it faced and to offer targeted guidance to support its workforce and management team and help the business grow.

The impact

With the SME keen to recruit young people, the advisor provided information about the benefits of apprenticeships and how they work and supplied MTJB with a shortlist of apprenticeship providers. They then linked the company with its selected provider, South Gloucestershire College, and supported them throughout the apprenticeship recruitment process. The company has now taken on a Level 2 Finance Apprentice.

Jill Gilbert, HR Manager at MTJB Engineering Ltd said:

“Our Business Skills Advisor has been very supportive of our plans to increase our workforce and retain our present engineers. With their support we’ve been able to move forward with confidence bringing an apprentice into the business. It’s proved so successful we are now considering advertising for another apprentice.”

MTJB has also been provided with support and information to grow the businesses and upskill current employees.

West of England Workforce for the Future

Workforce for the Future is a free support service for businesses and individuals in the West of England. The £8m programme helps businesses develop employees' skills, understand how they can meet their current and future skills needs and attract, develop and retain talented people.

It also supports local residents to upskill and improve their career prospects.

Workforce for the Future is co-funded by the West of England Combined Authority and the European Social Fund (ESF).