The Xaar Early Careers initiative has so far seen the inkjet printhead manufacturer run a STEM ‘imagineering’ club for local schools, take to several sponsored internships, and three new apprentices.
More new apprentices will start at the Cambridge-based firm later in September.
Helen Clifton, learning and development manager at Xaar, said she was excited about the initiative’s launch.
“Not only will Xaar’s Early Career Programme open up new opportunities and areas of interest for students to explore, but it will establish our business as a progressive, engaged and inclusive employer, ensuring we can futureproof the pipeline of talent that our industry requires," she said.
The programme represents one of the first stages in Xaar’s sustainability roadmap, published in June 2022, by which the firm hopes to reach key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals - like net-zero carbon emissions - by 2030.
To stay on-target with its social goals, Xaar needs to have established apprenticeship, graduate, and work experience programmes, and to be supporting STEM activities within the local community by the end of 2023. It hopes both of these things will help direct talent towards Xaar.
Xaar’s COO, Graham Tweedale, said: “This ambitious [early careers] programme is testament to Xaar’s commitment to supporting local schools, colleges, and communities, and by promoting our culture and brand values, we help maintain the flow of talent into our business."
As part of the programme, 12 Year 6 students from a local primary school, Stukeley Meadows, have attended a weekly STEM club, hosted by members of Xaar’s Imagineering group - registered members of the Imagineering Foundation, which introduces young people to the world of STEM.
Xaar welcomed the Imagineering Club to its Huntingdon factory in June. The pupils took on a series of engineering challenges like designing and creating their own fidget spinners, 3D-printed with Xaar’s inkjet printheads. The children similarly collaborated to design a trophy, which will be produced as a 3D print and presented at a later STEM club meeting.
