Finalists are shortlisted for prestigious Semta Skills Awards
Talented engineers and innovative companies have beaten off stiff competition to make the final of the Semta Skills Awards which honour the best in British Engineering.
Hundreds of nominations from across nine award categories have been shortlisted to just 27 by an independent industry panel of judges for the 2017 awards.
Firmly established as a key date in the calendar and recognised as industry’s night of the year – the Semta Skills Awards, to be held at London’s Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, on Wednesday March 8th, 2017 and hosted by BBC Breakfast’s Steph McGovern are considered to be the most prestigious of the year.
Twelve companies, ten men and five women will now do battle to be named the winner of their category with one lucky finalist being named the overall Best in British Engineering.
The nine categories are: Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by MBDA Ltd); Higher Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Rolls-Royce plc); Graduate of the Year (sponsored by Airbus); Skills Champion of the Year (sponsored by BAE Systems plc); Skills Innovation of the Year (sponsored by GetMyFirstJob); SME Investment in Skills (sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover); Technician of the Year (sponsored by Royal Academy of Engineering); Training Partner of the Year (sponsored by EAL) and Diversity in Engineering (supported by WISE).
Ann Watson, CEO of Semta said: “Our industry is often guilty of not shouting about its successes. The Semta Skills Awards gives us all the chance to tell the World just how good we are, the achievements we made – which is more important than ever as the country seeks to establish new partnerships in a post-Brexit world where skills will matter even more than they do now.
“It is fantastic to see so many new companies entering this year and the fact SMEs, which are so crucial to the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector, are well represented. It shows the awards have strength in depth right across the sector.
“I would like to congratulate and wish all the finalists good luck, it is a real achievement to get this far. I particularly want to thank our excellent and valued sponsors who have not only financed the awards but had the unenviable task of selecting the finalists – and what a superb high standard we have, evidence of how much our awards are valued and have grown – now in their fourth year.
“March 8 2017 promises to be a fantastic evening of celebration where we can honour the very best in British Engineering and showcase the young skilled men, women and businesses both large and small that will help our economy grow.”
Six hundred people are due to attend the glittering networking evening with a key note speech from Antony Jenkins, chair of the Institute for Apprenticeships and attended by some of the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry’s biggest brands together with the crucial SME supply chain that make up 98% of the sector.
To reserve your table or to secure the last remaining sponsorship opportunities please visit www.semta.org.uk/skillsawards
FINALISTS
Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by MBDA Ltd)
| Bradley Clare | Allied Protek | Grimsby, Yorkshire and Humber |
| Hal Devonald | Siemens | Ulverston, Cumbria, North West |
| Philippa Dressler-Pearson | Southco Manufacturing Ltd | Worcester, West Midlands |
Higher Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Rolls-Royce plc)
| Christiane Rogerson | BAE Systems plc | Preston, Lancs, North West |
| Ethan Davies | ElectroImpact UK Ltd | Deeside, Wales |
| Matthew Peach | Airbus Operations UK Ltd | Bristol, South West |
Graduate of the Year (sponsored by Airbus)
| Philippa Spencer | Rolls-Royce plc | Derby, East Midlands |
| Riccardo Puca | Rolls-Royce plc | Derby, East Midlands |
| Sophie Harker | BAE Systems plc | Preston, Lancs, North West |
Skills Champion of the Year (sponsored by BAE Systems plc)
| Andy Young | British Airways | London, South East |
| Jo Lopes | Jaguar Land Rover | Gaydon, Warwick, West Midlands |
| Martin Tomkins | Ford Motor Company Limited | Dagenham, South East |
Skills Innovation of the Year (sponsored by GetMyFirstJob)
| Activate Business School & BMW | Oxford, South East |
| KMF Group Limited | Newcastle under Lyme, West Midlands |
| Jaguar Land Rover & University of Bradford | Gaydon, West Midlands |
Investment in Skills (sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover)
| Lander Automotive Ltd | Birmingham, West Midlands |
| Salop Design & Engineering Ltd | Shrewsbury, West Midlands |
| Wire Belt Company Limited | Sittingbourne, South East |
Training Partner of the Year (sponsored by EAL)
| Ayrshire College | Kilmarnock, Scotland |
| Skills Training UK | Walsall, West Midlands |
| Warwickshire College Group – Trident Centre | Warwick, West Midlands |
Technician of the Year (sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering)
| Katie Gray | Vector Aerospace Component Services | Perth, Scotland |
| Leon Denton | Lockheed Martin UK | Bedford, East of England |
| Philip Booth | Greencore Prepared Meals | Sheffield, Yorkshire & Humber |
Diversity in Engineering (supported by WISE)
| Airbus Operations UK Ltd | Bristol, South West |
| Atkins Global | Epsom, South East |
| British Airways | Harmondsworth, London |
FURTHER MEDIA INFORMATION FROM:
DAN KIRKBY 07785 392735 [email protected]
