Darren Clarke promoted to head up the CNC Training Academy.
Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of DN Solutions and Zayer machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has announced that it has promoted Mr Darren Clarke to head up its CNC Training Academy operation following the retirement of previous Training Manager, Karen Earley, in April 2026.
Craft apprentice-trained, Mr Clarke, joined the CNC Training Academy in 2017 as one of its three trainers, at the time, and has a wealth of experience in the machine tool sector – first cutting his teeth as a CNC machine operator and, ultimately, a chargehand at Cannon & Stokes, Leicester, followed by a stint as a machinist at Bridgeport UK’s manufacturing facility.
With significant machining experience and technical know-how under his belt, Mr Clarke made the move into a number of more customer-facing, applications engineer positions – first at Bridgeport, which then became Hardinge-Bridgeport, and then at DMG Mori and finally at ETG where he was also employed as the Product Manager for Mastercam and Cimco CAD/CAM software solution packages.
“I joined Mills CNC’s Training Academy in 2017 because I was seeking a new challenge.
“The Academy, which was established in 2010, had, at that time, begun to rapidly grow its share of the external CNC training market, and to build a reputation as one of the UK’s premier CNC training providers.
“Having already worked for a number of major machine tool manufacturers, and with significant applications and product experience, combined with a good knowledge of all the main CNC control platforms (i.e., Fanuc, Heidenhain and Siemens), I made the move into CNC training…and haven’t looked back since.”
Darren Clarke, Training Manager at Mills CNC
Although only being in post as Training Manager for a month or so, Mr Clarke is determined to build on the Academy’s strong legacy left by previous Training Managers, Jeff Hart and Karen Earley, and is already making his presence felt by making more use of the Academy’s customer database and CRM system in order to increase sales of its operator and programmer training courses and improve operational and administrative efficiencies.
Other plans include making more use of the two dedicated CNC machine tools the Academy has at its disposal by introducing and offering intermediate milling and turning level operator courses, in addition to its already well-established and popular basic ‘beginner’ courses, to component manufacturing companies.
“There’s a lot going on at the Academy.
“The relocation, completed in early 2024, to our new modern and expanded training facility on Mills’ Technology Campus, replete with three well-resourced and technically-advanced classrooms and, the previously-mentioned, dedicated CNC machine tools, have not only further cemented our market-leading CNC training credentials, but have also provided significant opportunities for future growth.
“As well as gearing up to offer Siemens One and Heidenhain TNC 7 training courses to internal and external customers in the near future, and developing our digital twin machine tool training facilities still further, we are also looking to create a range of ‘more technically advanced’ machining demonstrations to promote the capabilities of BobCAD-CAM software.
“I am delighted to have been promoted to Training Manager at the CNC Training Academy, and am up for the challenge.”
Darren Clarke, Training Manager at Mills CNC