RBSL apprentices crowned winners at national manufacturing awards

The National Manufacturing Awards are organised annually by the manufacturers’ organisation, Make UK, with the aim of highlighting the resilience, determination and ingenuity of the UK’s manufacturing community.

Two RBSL colleagues, Jack Sears and Mohammed Shuayb, competed in the apprentice award categories with other regional winners from across the UK. Jack proceeded to win the Business Apprentice Final Year category, with Mohammed winning the Engineering Apprentice Final Year category.

Jack joined the business in 2017 and recently graduated from a level four project management apprenticeship. As an apprentice and now full-time member of RBSL’s ‘industrialisation team’, Jack works to transform RBSL’s Telford site into a world-class manufacturing facility ahead of delivering major programmes for the UK MOD.

He is actively involved in managing strategic elements of the plan, including supporting the HR recruitment team as they recruit over 100 new employees. As a result, he was also named RBSL Business Apprentice of Year 2020.

Mohammed is also a key member of RBSL’s industrialisation team, taking the lead on a number of projects including manufacturing and coordinating time-lapse cameras to capture the significant transformations of the facility. He has also supported the induction of new apprentices over a number of years and has offered personal mentorship following his own experiences.

As a result, Mohammed was named Apprentice of the Year by RBSL’s training provider in 2019 and voted Players’ Player by RBSL’s own apprentice community, demonstrating how highly respected he is by peers.

RBSL currently employs almost 40 apprentices across its UK sites and is proud to actively invest in early careers and protect engineering and manufacturing skills. Rheinmetall CEO, Armin Papperger, recently took the time to recognise and personally thank Jack and Mohammed for their achievements and excellent performance.

Mr Papperger said: “I am very pleased about the award for our two colleagues. It fills me with pride that we have so many outstanding talents in our Rheinmetall family. In view of the diverse and complex projects to which we devote ourselves at Rheinmetall, we rely on motivated and talented colleagues. They form the basis for our success.“

Charlotte Horobin, region director for Make UK in the Midlands, said: “These awards are a testament to the dynamic companies and individuals working within engineering and manufacturing. The sector remains at the heart of creating wealth in the Midlands and as we re-build our economy there will be a bright future for companies and individuals that make the most of their talent.”