CEM Engineering apprentices trained on Seco Technical Education Programme (STEP)

Earlier this month CEM Engineering put a number of its apprentices through the first level of Seco Tools Technical Education Programme (STEPinto) which envelopes a full introduction to cutting tools including procedures, wear patterns and housekeeping information. Graham Brown (Seco Tools Product Manager), who led the training, also covered the latest developments in cutting-tool technology. CEM Engineering is a customer of Mitchell Fox & Co who is, in turn, a Partnership Distributor to Seco Tools (UK). It was through this collaborative partnership that the training was initiated by Steve Richert from Mitchell Fox & Co. Steve suggested Seco’s STEP programme after liaising with CEM Engineering who highlighted that educating their apprentices was of great importance to them. Steve Cowgill (CEM Engineering) who attended the training with the apprentices commented that, ‘the day was very enjoyable for all who attended the presentations where very educational and informative aimed at just the right level.’ He added, ‘Seco Tools provided a warm welcome to their new offices and technical centre and the benefits from this training will be far reaching, a great building block for our apprentices.’ STEP is offered as a series of modules to familiarise Seco’s customers with the latest tooling systems and metal-cutting techniques to help achieve maximum machining productivity. Courses can be tailored to cover customer specific requirements so that machine operators, manufacturing engineers, apprentices, programmers, and company owners can all begin to understand the simplest way to choose the correct tooling and machining strategies. More information on Seco’s STEP programme can be found on their website www.secotools.com/UK. Graham Brown (Seco Tools) added, ‘we are so pleased we are able help apprentices like those from CEM Engineering, even if we can just evoke a new thought process on best practices or where information and ideas can be found as we can potentially help our customers to increase profits and achieve greater productivity.’