Steve Hill FICME – ICME National President, Joshua Sutton MICME – Durham Foundry, Daniel Whittaker MICME  – William Cook Leeds, Ian James MICME – Diploma Tutor, Michael Harper MICME and Richard Harris MICME of United Cast Bar.

Joshua Sutton of Durham Foundry, Daniel Whitaker of William Cook Leeds, and Michael Harper and Richard Harris of United Cast Bar, were proud to receive certificates from ICME National President Steve Hill FICME to mark their completion of the EAL Diploma in Casting (now Diploma in Engineering Technology).

All the learners had completed the Level 3 Diploma in Casting Technology whilst in full time work, with the teaching being provided on a block-release basis by ICME Tutor Ian James.  The learners had also been able to visit the National Foundry Training Centre during their studies to complete some aspects of the course – the only dedicated casting, foundry & patternmaking qualification available for the industry in the UK.

James Brand, Managing Director of United Cast Bar noted that ‘achieving the qualification will provide them with the necessary technical underpinning knowledge required in the industry’ and with Ian as their tutor the learners had been able to ‘learn from the best’. 

In congratulating the learners, Steve Hill ICME National President encouraged them to keep up with their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through their involvement with ICME, and to take-up any opportunities to meet and learn from others in the industry, by attending ICME branch events or the forthcoming industry conference, CASTcon 2020.

Julia Cartwright from ICME, who had organised the training programme, encouraged all four to consider registration as Engineering Technicians (Eng Tech) on the Engineering Council’s Register of Professional Engineers, something that completion of the Diploma should now make straightforward for all of them, to provide them with further recognition of their achievements.  She noted that it had been a team effort with United Cast Bar providing the training room, ICME providing the tutor and the formal process to enable the learners achieve the EAL certified qualification, and grant support from the Foundry Training Trust towards the costs.

If you, or any of your employees, are interested in joining the new cohort of learners to start in 2020, then please contact Michala French at Foundry Training Services Limited on 0121 752 1814 or email: michala@foundrytrainingservices.co.uk