Cornwall Group Ltd are a family run business comprising of Cornwall Glass Manufacturing, Cornwall Glass and Glazing, Mackenzie Glass, Forward Glass, and Annie and Maude. The Group employs 270 colleagues over 15 locations from the Isles of Scilly to Bristol and works in partnership with Truro and Penwith College, Plymouth City College and Bristol UWE to deliver it’s far reaching apprenticeship programme across the business.
The Cornwall Group’s Apprenticeship Journey is a unique training programme that has successfully run for the past eight years, designed to highlight and encourage a career in the glass industry.
Over 20% of the Group’s current employees are either completing or have already completed the Cornwall Group Apprenticeship Programme. The apprenticeships available within the Group cover a wide variety of areas, including Glass Processing, Administration, Glazing, Installation, Finance, IT, Marketing and Engineering.
Cornwall Group pride themselves on their opportunities to progress beyond apprenticeships and to continue to allow apprentices to develop their career within the business. Former apprentices have progressed through the company to roles such as E-commerce Supervisor, Estimating & Technical Representative, Senior IT Technician, Project Leader, Assistant Manager, and Group Engineering Manager – even all the way to Managing Director.
Key to each Apprenticeship Journey is the enthusiasm Senior Management, many of whom were once apprentices themselves, have for the development of each apprentice. Connecting with and meeting together every three months, Company Directors are directly accountable for the development of each apprentice. On-the-job training is also a significant part of the programme, and to develop each apprentice’s knowledge they work alongside experienced colleagues, many of whom have 15+ years’ experience within the industry.
The Group had a staggering eight nominations at the 2024 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards, highlighting the level of current apprenticeship talent within the company. The Group was Highly Commended for Large Employer of the Year 2024, and HR and Marketing Manager Emma Harris scooped the award for Workplace Mentor of the Year.
Apprentice Ned Seabourne won Accountancy Apprentice of the Year, and two other apprentices who complete their apprenticeship programme with Truro and Penwith College, Maisie Simpson and Brunel Bickerdike, were highly commended in Digital and IT and Marketing.
Emma’s nomination for Workplace Mentor of the Year highlights the exceptional level of support apprentices receive within the Cornwall Group Apprenticeship Journey.
Group Chairman Mark Mitchell said of Emma: “Emma understands and promotes the family culture that we work hard to maintain and enhance within our Group, our colleagues, and our ambassadors
day in and day out. Emma is a shining example of what makes our business so strong and vibrant, a dedicated and ambitious individual who truly enriches our business”.
Emma commented: “Where we believe we are different is the level of investment we make in apprentices, not only during their apprenticeship, but also in their ongoing career development after their apprenticeship is completed. Every single colleague that has gone through our apprenticeship journey goes into full-time employment with us, with over 95% of our former apprentices having 5+ years’ service”.
