MP Andrew Pakes and IEG CEO Rachel Nicholls Celebrate Local Businesses Championing Apprenticeships

As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025, Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough, and Rachel Nicholls, Principal and CEO of Inspire Education Group (IEG), visited two leading local employers, Codem Composites and Baker Perkins, to see first-hand how apprenticeships are helping to develop the next generation of skilled professionals.

The visits provided an opportunity for discussions around workforce challenges, skills shortages, and the critical role of apprenticeships in upskilling employees and supporting business growth. Both employers showcased their facilities, highlighting how their apprentices are impacting their respective industries.

At Codem Composites, a specialist in advanced composite solutions, Andrew Pakes MP and Rachel Nicholls met with Managing Director Kevin Doherty to learn about the company's apprenticeship journey and its commitment to investing in future talent.

“Apprentices have been an integral part of Codem’s growth and recruitment strategy for many years. The expansion and development of advanced materials have provided a perfect platform to train a new breed of engineers. This can only be achieved through a true partnership style collaboration with a forward-thinking provider, something we’ve found consistently in IEG, as they understand and support our short, medium and long-term goals.” - Kevin Doherty, Managing Director at Codem Composites.

At Baker Perkins, a global leader in food processing technology, the visit focused on the company’s dedicated on-site apprenticeship academy, which has been instrumental in training engineers in real-world, industry-leading manufacturing environments.

“A highly skilled workforce is essential to Baker Perkins’ ability to compete in international markets for high value machinery. Apprenticeships have proven over many years to be the most effective way of ensuring we have the skills we need. Our partnership with IEG ensures that our apprentice training program continues to go from strength to strength. - Suzanne Dellar Director of HR.