Source ForPressRelease.com

Smiths, a leading FTSE 100 industrial engineering company, together with its John Crane and Flex-Tek  businesses, today launches its evolution in early careers strategy, expanding opportunities for young people and future STEM talent through its newly expanded five stage programme.



Smiths is aspiring to recruit 500 additional early careers colleagues over the next five years, reaffirming its pledge to create more accessible pathways into STEM and engineering at a time when young people face acute challenges in securing meaningful work.



The 500 new roles will be spread across John Crane, Flex-Tek and Group, and will support the company's existing global workforce of more than 10,000 colleagues. Key early careers hubs include the UK, US, Mexico, India and the Czech Republic, reflecting the company's global engineering and technology footprint.



Kini Pathmanathan, Chief People, Sustainability and Excellence Officer, said: "Too many young people are struggling to find a meaningful career, and a business like Smiths should be part of the solution. Demand for engineering and technical skills is accelerating, and we have the scale and expertise to help close that gap by creating opportunities, developing skills and opening doors for the next generation of talent. These new roles, in strategically important locations in the UK and internationally over the next five years, are how we will do it."



The early careers approach is built around five programmes, which provide practical experience, structured development and clear routes for progression, ultimately creating opportunities for people at different stages of their education and early careers:



Explore: Industrial placements, internships and year in industry opportunities that provide practical, hands-on experience.

Aspire: Scholarships that help ambitious young people fulfil their potential through targeted support and opportunities.

Discover: Graduate programmes that enable participants to develop professional skills and gain practical experience.

Grow: Apprenticeship programmes that combine structured learning with hands-on experience.

Inspire: High-quality work experience that builds skills and confidence while encouraging more young people to consider careers at Smiths and in STEM.



Together, the programmes give participants the opportunity to contribute to real projects, learn from experienced colleagues and gain exposure to innovative technologies in the UK and overseas.



Sally-Anne Williams, Head of Early Careers at Smiths, said: "This commitment is about helping to develop the next generation of engineers, scientists, innovators and leaders who will shape the future of engineering. Early careers colleagues bring fresh ideas, different perspectives, new digital capabilities and enormous potential. They are not only part of Smiths future, they will help define it."



The global approach builds on the company's existing commitment to apprenticeships and early careers development. Smiths supports apprentices and graduates across a broad range of disciplines, including engineering, accounting, marketing & communications, data, human resources, business administration, IT and software.



To enhance its innovation capabilities, Smiths has developed five-year roadmaps covering products, technologies, materials and processes, supported by skills roadmaps that identify capability gaps and unlock opportunities for collaboration across the business. These are complemented by the early careers programmes designed to build the talent and expertise needed for the future.



For more than 175 years, Smiths has grown by investing in engineering, and this commitment extends the tradition and supports the long-term sustainable growth of the company. By expanding its early careers programmes, Smiths will build a stronger talent pipeline and give more young people the chance to take their first steps towards a career in STEM and industrial engineering.