At Made in Group, we’re continuing to support our members as they tackle the well-documented shortages in the manufacturing sector head-on. To drive this forward, we’ve continued to expand access to our employer branding resources, where members sign up to a five-point Made Equal Employer Pledge, committing to adopt an inclusive approach to recruiting and retaining diverse talent.
One of the most recent Made in Group members to sign up to the Made Equal Employer Pledge is Scarborough-based Unison Ltd.
Unison Ltd is the UK’s leading manufacturer of tube and pipe bending machines and continually innovates the tube and pipe bending marketplace. Unison machines are delivered to more than 20 countries globally and their tube bending software is recognised as the most user-friendly control system for tube bending machines. The software is written and supported by Unison, ensuring complete control of its evolution, with no need for third-party support.
Growing a pipeline of future talent
Director, Alan Pickering, decided to sign up for the pledge to reinforce the company’s proactive approach to attracting new talent. Unison was inspired by the outreach work of the AMRC [Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre] in Sheffield so they set up Scarborough Science and Engineering Week in 2010 to encourage more children to consider STEM as a career, as they had previously found themselves struggling with their recruitment due to Scarborough’s remote position on the North Yorkshire coast. They now get around 3,000 children taking part each year and contributing to their pipeline of future talent. Following this, Unison also became one of the local businesses that backed the bid to set up Scarborough’s UTC [University Technical College], which opened in 2016, and they have continued to support it ever since.
Sparking an interest in electrical mechatronics
To enable an exciting new phase of international growth, Unison has continued to take a proactive approach to developing its employer brand and attracting diverse talent. One such team member is electrical engineer, Micha Hannaby. Micha has made a name for herself at Unison as a leading light in electrical mechatronics, having changed her career path after her school offered her limited career options. With no engineering classes, Micha chose hairdressing and cookery.
She soon realised she had an aptitude for all things electrical when her dad moved house. Micha decided to offer her support with the renovation work and DIY in the new property. On the list of jobs were upgrading the domestic electrics, which sparked her interest. Upon leaving school, Micha embarked on a two-year programme of college study. At this point, she decided to search for an apprenticeship to further her knowledge and she found an advert for an electrical apprenticeship at Unison. As part of the interview, Micha took a tour of the factory and she became fascinated with Unison’s signature pipe bending machines.
From Scarborough to Malaysia
Fast-forward to the present day and Micha is a pivotal member of the Unison team and a proud NVQ Level 3-qualified electrical mechatronics technician. She wires new machines from start to finish, having recently returned from working on a project to carry out a recontrol and upgrade equipment for a key client in Malaysia.
Micha shares some of her favourite parts of the role:
“It’s rewarding seeing the machine being built from nothing to a fully working tube bending machine. Even though most machines are similar they always produce different bent tubes so I enjoy that I’m able to continue learning and developing my knowledge by solving issues by doing recontrols. I also like the fact I can see the world while I’m working.”
She goes on to explain why diversity of thought is so vital as Unison continues to grow and expand:
“Having a diverse range of knowledge can help when tackling problems as we all think differently. Bringing new ideas can help solve problems by making suggestions to improve future procedures. We are all part of the same team and it is rewarding to be able to express your opinions and ideas, giving you and your colleagues a better understanding of the task by looking from a different perspective.”
Cracking and gutsy: The sky is the limit
Unison’s director, Alan Pickering, is a committed champion of diverse talent in the organisation:
“Micha joined us at 16 as an electrical apprentice, and she has worked on many tasks within Unison. Now at 24, she’s a fully-fledged electrical engineer, having recently returned from a complicated recontrol of a client’s machine in Malaysia. She is a cracking and gusty young lady. Team members like Micha prove the apprenticeship route works. With 17% of our workforce apprentices or ex-apprentices, if you find one with the right attitude, the sky is the limit.”