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Award-winning apprenticeship programme at GKN

Apprenticeships are a ladder of opportunity, giving young people and adults the chance they deserve to get on and fulfil their potential. At GKN, apprentices are also a key part of our future development strategy and help ensure we sustain our position at the forefront of global aerospace manufacturing.

Since 2009 we have trained over 160 apprentices at GKN Aerospace Filton and Western Approach in UK, with many progressing into a wide variety of careers across GKN. We have just welcomed a further 14 new recruits in 2016, and our recruitment campaign for 2017 intake is already open.

In 2016, GKN Aerospace’s Filton site was named the South West winner of the National Apprenticeship Awards. It will now take its place in the national finals and is also in the running to feature in the prestigious Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list 2016. The awards are now in their 13th year, showcasing the success stories and benefits of apprenticeships across England.

Filton fought off tough competition by demonstrating how it grows its own talent with apprenticeships and how apprentices have made a significant contribution to the workplace. It was rewarded with success in the Large Employer of the Year category, sponsored by BAE Systems.

Mike Platt, General Manager for the Filton site, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won the Large Employer Award at the South West Regional Apprenticeship Awards. To be recognised as the top company for apprenticeships shows how we are leading the South West in our commitment to developing future engineering talent.”

GKN showcases low carbon capabilities

GKN has strong technology positions to help our customers meet the needs of their consumers. We aim to deliver the best technology today and develop innovative technologies for the future, maintaining our leadership. Global trends, such as emissions legislation and the drive for green and efficient vehicles, are at the heart of our technology investment.

In 2016, GKN Driveline exhibited at the Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV) event in UK, which takes place at Millbrook Proving Ground. The two-day event highlights the latest trends and technologies in the field of low carbon vehicles, with a distinct focus on electrified vehicles.

GKN showcased a number of technologies at LCV, including the VL3 constant velocity joint, the co-axial eAxle on the Volvo XC90, the Gen II eAxle on the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, the Twinster on the Range Rover Evoque and the eTwinster. A carbon fibre propshaft was also on display, which attracted a lot of attention.

GKN Driveline has been advancing the development of electrified vehicles since 2002 and more than 300,000 cars on the road contain GKN eDrive technologies today. Our technology are helping to propel some of the world’s most exciting electric and hybrid vehicles, including the electric axle (eAxle) launched on the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine, the world’s first hybrid premium SUV.

The system debuting on the Volvo XC90 delivers new levels of torque in a significantly smaller package, saving space and making integration into global vehicle platforms simpler, while also enhancing driveability.

The eAxle on the recently launched BMW Active Tourer 225xe is designed for integration into C-segment vehicles, as well as systems that feature on iconic vehicles such as the BMW i8 and Porsche 918 Spyder.