Akona welcomes students for hands-on engineering insight

Leading material processing and handling solutions group Akona Process Solutions has welcomed a group of T Level Engineering students from Preston College for a behind-the-scenes visit to its Darwen manufacturing facility, showcasing real-world engineering careers and inspiring the next generation of manufacturing talent.

The visit took place on 3 December 2025 and involved 16 students and four college staff members spending two hours on site, meeting engineers from across the business and learning how different roles contribute to the design, build, and long-term support of engineered solutions.

During the session, Akona engineers shared their personal career journeys, explained their current roles within the company and demonstrated how engineering disciplines work together across the lifecycle of a project. For many students, it was their first experience in an engineering company, providing a practical context for their studies. Students highlighted the scale of the facility and the variety of engineering roles available as particularly eye-opening, with several commenting that they were not previously aware of the breadth of opportunities within the sector.

The visit is part of a broader collaboration between engineering and manufacturing employers and further education colleges across Lancashire, organised by Charlotte Ayrton of Discover Engineering, to support T Level pathways and inspire young people to consider careers in engineering.

Michael Hall, head of European operations at Akona, said: “We have supported and collaborated with apprenticeship programmes for many years, so Akona and the wider Spiroflow group have a long history of helping young people entering the industry.

“Developing the workforce from a young age is increasingly important as we continue to battle for engineering talent. Several of our engineers have said they wished they’d had this level of understanding and guidance earlier in their careers, as it’s not always obvious to young people what engineering roles actually exist in the real world. Visits like this help bridge that gap and give students a clearer picture of the opportunities available to them.”

Further student visits are already being planned for early next year, with Akona keen to continue supporting similar initiatives where operationally possible.

Learn more about Akona here.