Shropshire apprentices are honoured at In-Comm Training awards

Oswestry’s Sam Marston has excelled in his time at home life technology specialist Aico to be awarded the Engineering and Manufacturing Higher Telford title in front of 300 people in Birmingham on Friday.

A high-profile judging panel was impressed with his stand-out all-round performance and the positive impact he is having on the company.

Sam was joined on stage by William Thompson (Torus) and Isabelle Rowley (Churchill Integrated Services), who were named as Engineering and Manufacturing Foundation Telford and Business Support Learner of the Year respectively.

Bekki Phillips, chief operating officer at In-Comm Training, was delighted with the quality of entrants.

“It is fantastic to be able to shine the brightest possible spotlight on the vocational stars we have in our region, who are all doing amazing things on the shop floor and across our offices,” she said.

“The standard of the finalists was the best yet and underlines what can be achieved when you get the mix right of Shropshire companies, training providers and young people.”

She added: “We are finally seeing the perceptions of apprenticeships change since Covid-19 and events like these are crucial to achieving that level of equality, encouraging the next generation to choose engineering and manufacturing.”

This was the 12th year the In-Comm Training Awards have been held and gave over 55 finalists the opportunity to celebrate their achievements in front of their peers, mentors, and employers.

Gareth Jones, Managing Director In-Comm Training, said: “We are doing everything in our power to support the increased appetite for apprenticeship and skills by making sure we are offering companies and learners access to the best possible support, advice, courses, and training facilities.”

“Events over the last 12 months have underlined this commitment. We have centralised our Shropshire facilities into a £3m state-of-the-art Technical Academy in Telford, providing 20,000 sq ft of manufacturing training space that is fitted out with new equipment and industry-leading technology.

“This will cater for 350 apprentices and upskill 2500 workers and we’re already edging towards those figures after an unbelievably strong response from the business community. We have also delivered on our promise to launch the UK’s first Precision Tooling Academy.”

The In-Comm Training Awards were made possible by headline sponsor the Engineering Technology Group (ETG) and other sponsors, including Black Country Chamber of Commerce, the Black Country Institute of Technology, Collins Aerospace, Crowe LLP, EAL Awards, FBC Manby Bowdler, Gestamp and In-Comm TMG.

Other winners included:

Joshua Peace (Precision Technologies International) – Outstanding Learner of the Year and Engineering and Manufacturing Foundation Aldridge

Katie Mayo (PcP Gratings) – Most Improved Learner

Kirsty Locking (Cross & Morse) – Most Improved Learner and Engineering and Manufacturing Advanced Aldridge

Steve Giles (Metsec) - Ambassador of the Year

Bruno Trezeguet (Rotometrics) – Leadership & Management Learner of the Year

Gemma Osborne (Leonardo) – Quality and Continuous Improvement Learner of the Year

Britney Biju (Collins Aerospace) – Engineering and Manufacturing Advanced

Assa Abloy – Large Employer of the Year

Brandauer – SME Employer of the Year