An engineering academy in Darwen is marking its 20th anniversary.
The WEC Engineering Academy, launched in 2006 by WEC Group, was set up to address a shortage of skilled welders, fabricators, and engineers.
Two decades later, it has trained more than 430 apprentices and helped the company grow from 136 employees to more than 1,150.
Steve Hartley, managing director of WEC Group, said: "When we launched the Academy in 2006, it was because we could see that the industry needed a different approach to skills.
"We were struggling to find enough skilled people, so we decided to invest in young people, train them properly and give them a real career.
"Twenty years later, the Academy has become one of the best decisions we have ever made as a business.
"It has helped WEC grow, but more importantly, it has changed lives and created opportunities for hundreds of people."
In the last five years alone, the academy has trained 200 apprentices.
Its approach combines workshop training, classroom learning, mentoring and hands-on experience in manufacturing.
Kris Mercer, academy manager and CSWIP master welding instructor, said: "The most rewarding part of the Academy is seeing apprentices arrive with potential and leave as confident, skilled tradespeople.
"Many of them come to us straight from school, and over the years we watch them develop not only their technical ability, but their confidence, discipline and pride in their work."
Since opening a second training centre in Rotherham in 2016, the academy has grown into a UK-wide model for employer-led engineering education.
It now also operates the apprenticeship scheme in Coventry.
Apprentices train in welding, fabrication, machining, technical engineering, IT, marketing and business administration.
The academy recently received glowing feedback from Ofsted, which rated all areas of a recent monitoring visit as making 'significant progress'.
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Ofsted praised its ambitious curriculum, high-quality instruction, and strong culture of safeguarding and apprentice support.
The academy also contributes to the wider community through engineering projects for public good, including schemes with Lancashire Police and Rotherham Hospice.
Mr Hartley said: "Manufacturing has a huge future in the UK, but only if companies are prepared to invest in people."
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