From Apprentice to MD: Cottam MD’s Journey Through Manufacturing

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, our MD, Alan, has been reflecting on his journey—from a 16-year-old apprentice to Managing Director. His career has been filled with unexpected turns, challenges, and opportunities, but one thing remains clear: his apprenticeship laid the foundation for everything that followed. Let’s take a look at his story…

Taking the First Step

In 1978, fresh out of school, I was searching for engineering apprenticeships after speaking with my careers officer. I received a few offers, but being the naïve 16-year-old that I was, I accepted the first one that came my way—from Crabtree-Vickers. I didn’t think twice about waiting for other offers; I just grabbed the opportunity and got started.

Crabtree was part of the Vickers Group, manufacturing metal decorating equipment. My first year was spent at the Vickers Apprentice Training School on Scotswood Road, alongside about 75 other apprentices from across the company. After that, we were assigned our specialisms. I had hoped to be an electrical apprentice, but I was instead placed on the craft apprenticeship path, focusing on fitting and machining. At the time, I was disappointed, but in hindsight, it was the best thing that could have happened. The training was excellent, and the skills I developed during those years have served me well ever since.

From Apprentice to Skilled Worker

Back then, apprenticeships ended on your 20th birthday, and most people were offered jobs in the areas they had trained in. Unfortunately, when my time came in 1982, Crabtree-Vickers was struggling, and for the first time, apprentices weren’t guaranteed jobs.

A disagreement between the company and the union followed, as the union pushed for us to be retained. The eventual compromise saw me offered a machining job, while two of my fellow apprentices received a payout instead. That’s how, in June 1982, I became a milling machine operator at Crabtree-Vickers.

Not long after, the company invested in CNC machinery, and I was selected to operate one of the new machines. Over the next few years, I progressed to CNC machining centre setter-operator, gaining valuable experience in cutting-edge manufacturing technology.

Climbing the Ladder

The late 1980s brought a big shift—a management buyout transformed the business into Crabtree of Gateshead, and the company grew rapidly. The workforce expanded from 60-70 people to around 350, and I moved up with it, becoming CNC supervisor, then senior supervisor. By the mid-90s, I was managing major projects, responsible for equipment investment and production improvements.

However, in the late ‘90s, Crabtree was sold to a competitor. The business went into decline, and after 21 years, I made the difficult decision to leave.

Embracing New Challenges

I joined Marske Machine Company in 1999 as Machine Shop Manager, but within months, the business was acquired by Harkers Engineering. I was given a project management role, similar to what I had done at Crabtree, but the 40-mile commute wasn’t ideal.

By 2001, I was looking for something closer to home, and that’s when I found Cottam Brush. The role of Manufacturing Manager was a step into the unknown—moving from CNC machining into wood manufacturing and brush production was a big change. But I embraced the challenge, learning new processes and adapting to life in a family-run business.

Things must have gone well because, in 2006, I was promoted to Manufacturing Director. Then, in 2022, when Ben Cottam stepped away from his role as MD, I was honored to take on the position—becoming the first non-family Managing Director in Cottam’s long history.

The Power of an Apprenticeship

Looking back, my apprenticeship gave me so much more than just technical skills. It gave me confidence—the ability to take on new challenges, adapt, and keep learning. Even outside of work, those skills came in handy, whether fixing cars in my younger years or tackling DIY projects at home.

For anyone considering an apprenticeship, I’d say this: it’s not just a starting point—it’s a foundation for a career full of possibilities. You never know where it might take you.