Accura Engineering’s Ethan Austin beat off the challenge of more than 100 of his peers to secure the top title at the In-Comm Training Awards in Birmingham on Friday.
More than 420 people from 50 different companies heard how he had shown exceptional commitment to both technical and professional development and is the youngest apprentice at the company to be trusted in customer-facing roles.
Judges also commented on his track record in supporting improvement projects that save money and boost productivity.
Backed by main sponsor the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) for the eighth time, the high-profile ceremony also saw Lee Trevor achieve Most Improved Learner of the Year.
The Magna Cosma Castings engineer has recovered from a shaky start to become a person to go to if you need something doing, helping to improve production and generate cost savings for the Telford-based business.
Bekki Phillips, Executive Director at In-Comm Training, praised the most diverse selection of entries yet: “This is the 14th year of our awards, and the competition has intensified yet again, with young people and mature learners continuing to deliver positive impacts on shopfloors and businesses across the West Midlands.
“We’ve got apprentices making a massive difference to SMEs, major automotive suppliers, nuclear businesses and even a water safety specialist. It’s so important to tell these individual stories and put apprenticeships on the map for future generations to consider.”
She continued: “We also used the evening to recognise some of our STEM champions like Howmet, Brandauer, Steve Tilsley and Michael Orlik, with the latter donating over £25,000 to a fund in memory of his wife Susan.
“This money has helped us engage with more than 12 schools and over 700 pupils. The difference that has made to young people is unprecedented.”
The In-Comm Training Awards, which was held at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, gave over 100 finalists the opportunity to celebrate their achievements in front of their peers, mentors, and employers.
In addition to the young stars, companies were also in the spotlight for the way they continue to invest in the next generation of talent and how they develop the engineers and professionals of the future.
Assa Abloy and VA Technologies won the Large Company and SME Awards respectively, with the latter impressing the judging panel with its holistic approach to vocational learning and ensuring that there is an apprentice in every part of the business.
Other winners included:
Gareth Jones, Managing Director In-Comm Training, concluded: “The excitement in the room was palpable and you can really tell there’s a positive vibe around apprenticeships and we want to grow this. “It was the perfect time to promote our ‘I’m Included, I’m In-Comm’ campaign, which is all about promoting inclusivity and diversity in engineering.
The video went down really well on the evening and I’m sure there will be a lot more ambassadors pushing the message out there for us.”
The In-Comm Training Awards were made possible by headline sponsor the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) and other sponsors, including Accura Engineering, Ansaldo Nuclear, Assa Abloy, Brandauer, Confederation of British Metalforming, Crowe, EAL, FBC Manby Bowdler, Gestamp, Guhring and METSEC.
For further information, please visit www.in-comm.co.uk or follow @incomm_training on Twitter.
