Member Article

Apprentices stars of top awards night

Rising young stars of North East industry took top billing at a leading awards ceremony honouring the region’s apprentices.

The TDR Annual Awards recognise the efforts of young people who have successfully completed apprenticeship programmes and rewards employers who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to learning and development.

More than 380 people packed the Newcastle Marriott Gosforth Park Hotel to see the event – chiefly sponsored by British Engines – championing young people and progressive companies from the North East.

Included in the roll of honour was Ashleigh Horn, 19, winner of an Advanced Apprentice of the Year award, having just completed her two-year apprenticeship with Wallsend-based quartz glass producer Heraeus Quartz.

“I’m really excited to win a TDR award - my apprenticeship has given me a fantastic grounding, it’s opened doors for me and helped me to get into the career I have always wanted,” said Ashleigh, of Houghton-le-Spring.

She is being kept on at Heraeus Quartz as an R&D technician while attending Northumbria University part-time to study for a chemistry degree.

“It’s great to have this job security, it’s great to know that when I finish university that I have a job which I’ve always wanted to do,” said Ashleigh. “I’ve always been interested in science and that’s where I see my future career.”

London 2012 Paralympic swimming gold medallist Josef Craig MBE, from Jarrow, topped the bill of dignitaries on the night.

Other main award winners included L&S Calberto Ltd, Small Company of the Year, Miller UK Ltd as Medium-Sized Company of the Year and Large Company of the Year Komatsu UK Ltd, with the Special Recognition Award going to Express Engineering Ltd.

TDR, which is based in Quorum Business Park, Benton Lane, Newcastle, was established 13 years ago. British Engines was integral, along with other local engineering and science companies in partnering with TDR to heighten the profile of science and engineering apprenticeships.

It works closely with local employers to provide apprenticeships, develop workforces and promote engineering as an exciting career for young people.

Alex Lamb, chairman of Newcastle-based British Engines, said: “Apprentices are the lifeblood of any successful business and investment in their training and knowledge is an investment in the future of a business.”

Bill McGawley OBE, executive chairman of TDR Training, said: “The engagement, nurturing, ongoing development and the retention of young potential engineers are the key drivers of TDR’s strategy.

“We are proud to be leading the way on this crucial mission for the UK economy. In the North East, TDR is delighted to be working in partnership with British Engines – who have been an exemplar.”

The British Engines group is headquartered at St Peter’s, employs 1,200 people across its six divisions and in the last year alone created 123 new jobs.

British Engines places a strong emphasis for its staff recruitment on its award-winning Apprenticeship+ programme and has trained over 600 apprentices since 1966.

Every year it recruits 20 young people offering them a broad range of opportunities right up to a masters degree in engineering.

The full list of TDR Award winners will be available on the company’s website www.tdrtraining.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gordon Arnott .