Southampton engineering firm champions next generation of marine talent through T Level placements

Rigging Projects, a specialist manufacturer for the global marine industry, has experienced rapid growth in the last two and a half years, expanding from a team of eight to 42. The company produces a wide range of products, from deck hardware for racing yachts to advanced rigging systems for superyachts.

With this growth came a challenge – finding skilled individuals to meet the demands of the industry. Sam Sainsbury, COO of Rigging Projects, explains: “We’ve got some amazing machinists, but it took me a year and a half to find them and develop their skills. There’s a significant skills gap, and we realised the importance of succession planning. That’s when we got in touch with the Southampton College Group.”

Through the college, the team met Bradley, a T Level student whose enthusiasm, technical mindset and willingness to learn quickly made him a valued part of the team.

Since joining, Bradley has rotated through several departments including quality control, programming, milling, turning, and part-picking.

“We wanted to make it fun for him and help him get as much out of the experience as possible,” Sam adds. “He’s taken to it brilliantly – he’s grown in confidence and is already thinking with a technical mindset.”

Bradley’s T Level industry placement has been such a success that Rigging Projects hopes to offer him a role once he completes his course, and he has chosen to return over the summer to continue gaining hands-on experience.

Now, the company is planning to host more T Level students and is encouraging other small and medium-sized firms to do the same.

“Absolutely, I’d recommend it,” says Sam. “It’s vital for growing businesses to invest in the next generation of engineers. It’s also rewarding to support young people at the start of their careers. The whole team has really enjoyed having Bradley with us – the process has been straightforward and well worth it.”