Sheet metal fabrication leader marks 20 years of in-house training excellence with prestigious Specsavers Large Employer Award. 

KMF Group has been named the regional winner of the Specsavers Large Employer Award at the 2026 West Midlands Regional Apprenticeship and Skills Awards, held on Thursday, October 8th, at The Belfry Hotel & Resort. 

The award recognises KMF’s commitment to skills development, workforce progression and community impact. The award also coincides with KMF celebrating 20 years of delivering internal apprenticeships – a vision launched to tackle UK manufacturing skills gaps.    

The event held extra significance for KMF, as Jenny Johnston, People & Culture Manager at KMF Group, co-hosted the awards ceremony alongside Tino Mumvari. The celebration highlighted the vital ongoing work of the West Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, where Jenny serves as Employer Chair of the network, driving regional collaboration to champion vocational pathways and skills development across the Midlands. 

Today, apprenticeships remain central to KMF’s long-term business strategy. 20% of KMF’s 300-strong workforce joined the company through its apprenticeship programme. An EAL-approved provider since 2007, KMF has trained 85 new engineering apprentices since 2020 alone while using its Apprenticeship Levy to upskill 23 existing employees through higher-level qualifications since 2023. 

Jenny commented:  

“This is the 20th year KMF has delivered apprenticeships, and this award is the best way to mark this milestone and celebrate all our apprentices, past and present, who continue to drive the company forward.  

“Through my role with the West Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, I see firsthand the extraordinary talent across our region. I’d like to congratulate all the winners and highly commended finalists. It was a pleasure to come together with other organisations who help to shape the future of skills and apprenticeships from all over the West Midlands.” 

The West Midlands Regional Apprenticeship and Skills Awards highlight the dedication of organisations and individuals going above and beyond to champion skills development and T-Level qualifications across the region.