James Sopwith, Group Strategic Account Director at Group, has worked in the manufacturing sector for over 25 years
A graduate mechanical engineer, he began his career as an engineering designer within the automotive industry, progressing through production management, into senior management and then managing director positions.
Joining multi-disciplined engineering services company adi Group in 2008, his current role is as Group Strategic Account Director, as well as being Managing Director of adi Projects – a division which encompasses the 360-degree turnkey and self-delivery mantra of the adi Group.
James is passionate about closing the engineering skills gap, and to this end, he heads up the Group’s pre-apprenticeship program for 14 to 16-year-olds. Taking up 10% of the children’s GCSE curriculum time, the programme has delivered strong success for adi in its overall commitment to skills development, with apprentices now representing over 7% of its 600+ workforce.
Helping readdress gender imbalances in the industry, James is also keen to encourage more women into the engineering industry, dispelling outdated stereotypes around the profession and highlighting shining examples in the business like 18-year-old Abbie Beaver, who at age 17, was named as one of the top female engineers in the country by the prestigious Women’s Engineering Society.
