News/Product news
Plugged in Essex student takes apprentice title The first ever NICEIC and ELECSA Electrical Apprentice of the Year competition, sponsored by Scolmore Group, reached its conclusion in June, when 22-year-old Mark Lee from Essex was awarded the prestigious title. Lee was one of eight entrants to reach the final, which took place at Scolmore Group’s head office in Tamworth, Staffordshire. Designed to recognise the talents of the brightest electrical students in the UK and develop the talent of the future, the competition, which was launched in December 2015, attracted nearly 400 entrants from across the UK. The winner and runner-up were announced at the awards ceremony and BBQ evening at The Belfry Hotel. Lee was presented with a holiday voucher worth £2,000, while runner-up Chris Powell from Pontefract received a holiday voucher worth £500. All eight finalists were given an engraved glass trophy, an iPad and a kit bag containing an array of Scolmore’s electrical accessories, plus a selection of tools. Alan Wells, technical and standards director at Certsure, and Scolmore Group managing director Gary Mordue, handed out the prizes to the grateful recipients. “I can’t believe it,” said Lee. “It’s an unreal feeling. I never thought I would get this far. The whole contest has been amazing and we have all been made to feel really proud of ourselves, so winning it feels like a really big achievement.” Darren Staniforth, technical development manager at NICEIC and ELECSA, was
22
> Mark Lee won the inaugural Apprentice of the Year award, along with a £2,000 voucher, award, while Chris Powell took the runner-up slot (above, top). The duo were among eight finalists (bottom, left) involved in the judging process. “Many of these boys will be completing their Level 3 qualification soon, so we really wanted to test their ability to carry out a range of tasks we feel all good, skilled apprentices should be able to do – along with some tests they might not have been so comfortable with,” he said. “However, we were very impressed with the overall standard of the finalists. It was tough choosing a winner, but I am confident they will all go on to have successful careers.” Marie Parry, Scolmore Group’s marketing director, said: “It’s an exciting industry, with an abundance of opportunities for the future. Two of the directors here at Scolmore started out as apprentice electricians and have carved out hugely successful careers on the back of the vital experience and training
that the apprentice programme provided. We wish all the finalists every success as they continue on their journeys.” Emma Clancy, CEO of NICEIC and ELECSA, said: “Apprenticeships are the lifeblood of our industry; NICEIC and ELECSA are committed to developing the talent of the future.” Lee is currently studying at Cambridge Regional College while working for Essexbased firm First Call Electrical Contractors. The firm was thrilled to learn on the awards evening that it receives a year’s free registration with NICEIC as part of the prize.
How they got there The journey to the Electrical Apprentice of the Year finals involved a number of stages. The first stage was an online exam comprising a variety of questions relating to electrical installations. The top 20 per cent of students from this stage then progressed to stage two, which was a practical one-and-a-half hour exam paper held at one of seven locations across the UK. Eight students with the highest marks then battled it out in the final. The finalists were put through a gruelling day of challenges comprising eight separate tasks designed to assess their abilities across a range of disciplines, including testing, faultfinding, conduit-bending, tray manufacturing and safe isolation. The candidate who excelled in the final stage was crowned as the first ever NICEIC and ELECSA Electrical Apprentice of the Year.
Summer 2016 Connections
22_news.indd Sec2:22
29/06/2016 09:32
