Harwin is in the sixth year of its apprentice scheme which it says ensures that it will always have a versatile team with the necessary skills.
According to the connector manufacturer, this avoids outsourcing from the perceived low-cost countries, a route chosen by many other firms.
“Many of our existing staff have come through traditional apprenticeship programmes and the current scheme is ensuring these specialist skill 
requirements are safeguarded for the future,” said Harwin chairman Damon de Laszlo.
The scheme aims to start three apprentices each year on the four-year National Advanced Modern Apprenticeship scheme.
As part of the engineering apprenticeship programme, all are required to undertake a BTEC National Certificate in the first two years. Harwin then encourages the apprentices to take an HNC in the final two years. Following that, the company will sponsor an HND course.
During the course of the programme, engineering apprentices are encouraged to develop their capability in the use of engineering software.
Last week, Gordon Brown inveiled a plan to invest £140m to create an extra 35,000 apprenticeships across all business and industry sectors as part of government moves to help companies through the recession.