Investing in People: Developing the Next Generation at Optima

Investing in the next generation

Apprenticeships, graduate programs and internships provide an important route into technical careers, particularly in an industry where understanding products, manufacturing, design and installation develops through practical experience as well as formal education.

At Optima, these routes give people the opportunity to build their knowledge within the business, gaining experience across the different stages involved in designing and delivering glazed partitioning systems.

Growing within the business

George joined Optima in 2014 as an Apprentice Design Engineer before progressing into Product Design. Time spent within manufacturing gave him first-hand experience of production processes and constraints, knowledge he could later apply when developing products.

“I spent time within the manufacturing space, learning the process and understanding the limitations of manufacturing. This prepared me to put that experience and knowledge into the products I would come to design and develop through my trainee role within the Product Design department.”

During his apprenticeship, George also completed a Level 3 NVQ in Design Engineering, combining formal study with his day-to-day role.

Rebekah Hughes joined Optima as a Designer in 2016 without previous experience in the glazed partitioning industry. Through working alongside colleagues and taking on increasingly challenging projects, she developed her technical understanding and confidence within the role.

“We learn every day, there’s always something new coming up, there are always new challenges. Everyone is willing to help everyone else, everyone works as one big team.”

Creating opportunities to progress

Development does not stop when a training program ends. Giving people opportunities to take on new challenges, share ideas and move into different areas of the business helps knowledge continue to grow over time.

For Optima, investing in people means creating routes into the industry while also giving established colleagues the opportunity to keep developing their skills, experience and careers.