CCATF Chairman, Geoff Lister, FCIOB says that giving awards to those who achieve excellence is an important tradition in the construction sector.
Recognising outstanding individuals at every stage of the career ladder is especially important Industry awards are getting better and better at celebrating apprenticeship achievements. Meanwhile, the CCATF has been doing what it can to encourage awards organisers to also recognise the apprentice employers who invest so much in the future of the industry.
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR 2011
Patrick Williams from Leadbitter in Cardiff took the title of Apprentice of the Year 2011 at the Master Builder of the Year Awards in March. According to his employer, Patrick is the perfect example of a successful apprentice: diligent, enthusiastic and with a clear love for his trade.
Patrick was the youngest apprentice ever taken on the by the company, arriving for his interview aged just sixteen. In his three year apprenticeship Patrick has completed NVQ levels two and three in Wood Occupations. The facts speak for themselves and Patrick is surely destined for a highly successful career in construction. However, Leadbitter didn’t escape the spotlight on the day. The CCATF made sure Leadbitter were also presented with an award. Jeanette Hawrot from Leadbitter collected the £250 voucher from TradePoint and a certificate from the CCATF, in recognition of the vital role that employers play in developing the next generation of skilled construction professionals.
THE DENNE STANHOPE SKILLS ACADEMY AWARDS
The fourth Denne Stanhope Skills Academy Awards also took place recently. As part of the Leadbitter Group, Denne also actively encourage apprenticeship training. These awards are entirely focussed on celebrating the employment and training benefits a construction project can bring to a local community. The CCATF presented the award for the ‘Most Supportive Trade Contractor – Apprenticeships.’ The award went to Dax Brickwork Contractors Ltd; one of the companies that helped to set up the first ever National Skills Academy for Construction at the Stanhope Regeneration Project site.
Having enough work to see an apprentice through his or her qualifications, and providing the extra supervision needed to support someone who is learning on the job, are common concerns among employers who take on apprentices. However, more often than not the benefits outweigh the costs as can be seen from these award winning cases. The industry must continue to celebrate these achievements with pride and enthusiasm, while not forgetting to say a big thank you to the employers behind the winners.
If you would like to find out more about Pathway to Construction or the CCATF please contact Beatrice Orchard, CCATF Co-ordinator, at info@ccatf.org.uk or on 020 7092 3876.
