News and Updates

Arco's Chelsea Baxter has been named Advanced Apprentice of the Year at the inaugural East Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards, with Arco runner-up in the Large Employer of the Year category.

The awards, which celebrate apprentices, employers, colleges, trainers, and supporters across the region, were held last night at the MKM Stadium in Hull.

Chelsea, an E-Procurement Analyst at Arco, picked up the win after recently completing her Level 3 improvement technician apprenticeship with distinction.

Chelsea said: "It's scary going back into a learning environment so long after finishing university in 2014, but I had fantastic support from Arco, particularly from my manager Paul Burton, which made it not so scary.

"The apprenticeship took a lot of work and it's fab to see that acknowledged with this award."

Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading safety specialist, was highly commended in the Large Employer of the Year award, which was won by BAE Systems.

Arco's Future Experts programme was launched in 2015 and is an important part of the company's talent development strategy.

Apprentices benefit from a blend of on-the-job training and formal education, with 100% of apprentices having secured permanent positions within the company after completing their training, and 75% remaining employed at Arco for at least 12 months after completion.

Arco plans to expand its apprenticeship offerings in the future, increasing the number of higher and degree-level apprenticeships available to employees across the business.

Darren Ford, Arco’s head of organisational development and learning & development, said:

"We are so proud of our colleague Chelsea for winning this well-deserved award, and thrilled to be highly commended as a business for our apprenticeship programme.

"At Arco, we believe that investing in the future means investing in our apprentices. The recognition at the East Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards is a testament to our dedication to empowering individuals and driving business success through our Future Experts programme.

"We are proud of what we have achieved and excited for the future of our programme and of our apprentices."

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Leading workwear and safety footwear brand TROJAN has launched its most inclusive range of safety shoes to date, including unisex work trainers that offer "true female fit".

The new TROJAN footwear range, available exclusively from Arco, has been designed in a modern style, reflecting the growing shift in consumer preferences from traditional safety boots and shoes to more stylish, casual trainers and hiker boots.

Along with specific men's and women's options, the new collection includes unisex trainers that have been moulded on the contours of women's feet in sizes 3-6, offering a true female fit. This makes it easier for businesses across a variety of industries to kit out their whole team with the same level of comfort, support and protection.

The range includes five new styles, all made with lightweight materials and offering enhanced comfort and performance features such as improved footbeds.

• Perses men's safety trainers
• Maia women's safety trainers
• Nyx women's safety hiker boots
• Eurus unisex safety trainers (steel)
• Notus unisex safety trainers (non-metallic)

All five options meet the latest safety footwear standard (EN ISO 20345:2022), providing slip resistance and steel or composite toe protection and midsoles. The non-metallic styles incorporate advanced midsole materials to provide superior protection.

Trojan products undergo extensive testing in Arco’s own Product Assurance laboratory, the first UK testing lab able to carry out UKAS-accredited testing against impacts, compression, midsole perforation, slip resistance and electrical resistance of safety footwear certified to the revised standard.

To help businesses achieve their sustainability goals, all styles in the new TROJAN footwear range incorporate recycled materials in the linings, laces and footbeds, with 45 per cent Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified uppers.

Becky Casson, buying director at Arco, said:

"Arco is committed to leading the way in innovative and inclusive workplace solutions. This new Trojan footwear range not only modernises our footwear offerings but also reinforces our dedication to providing more inclusive workwear options.

"We believe that every worker deserves footwear that fits well, looks great, and performs under pressure, and this collection delivers just that."

See the full TROJAN range

Engineering students at Hull's Ron Dearing UTC have been learning all about workplace safety, thanks to the experts at Arco.

As part of the city centre school's Engineering Safety Week [September 9-13], the UK and Ireland's leading safety specialist held workshops for students, including an interactive display area based around virtual reality (VR) and a competition focused on working at height safety.

Arco's Brian Grunes, Louise Brown and Nerys Knight ran back-to-back sessions throughout the day, with groups of students ranging from Year 10 - 13. Students took part in a competition to see who could put on a safety harness and correctly fasten it in the quickest time, featuring a 'Top Gear' style leaderboard and a £50 Arco voucher for the winner.

The students were then introduced to a range of working at height scenarios using VR headsets. They experienced the fall potential and safety considerations of working at height, with virtual settings including Blackpool Tower and Hull's own landmark The Deep.

Brian Grunes, technical lead for confined spaces at Arco Professional Safety Services, said:

"The students seemed to really enjoy our virtual reality experiences, which allow learners to experience the dangers posed in high-risk working environments, but in a safe and engaging way.

"Many asked questions and appreciated the opportunity Arco provides as a future employer. The day was a huge success and we're all looking forward to returning in the future."

Kayleigh Whitehead, 17, who is studying double engineering, maths and physics at the UTC, said:

"It was a great experience that allowed us to see how the health and safety work we do at the UTC is used in industry and its importance to people's everyday life."

Arco has been a major partner of Ron Dearing UTC since the college opened in 2017, helping the college address the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) skills gap.

Earlier this year, Arco donated personal protective equipment (PPE), including lab coats, safety footwear and safety glasses, for students to wear during their workshop training, as well as branding the UTC's workshop and digital lab space.

Glenn Jensen, senior assistant principal at Ron Dearing UTC, said:

"Health and safety awareness is one of the fundamental threads that flows through the different engineering pathways at Ron Dearing UTC.

"Having a prestigious sector leader such as Arco showcasing at the UTC is amazing for our students and further enriches our fantastic employer-led curriculum."