CPA Bulletin

ASSOCIATIONNEWS: 2 Stars of the Future Promises to be Bigger and Better Than Ever The CPA is hosting its Stars of the Future awards ceremony on Wednesday 26th June 2019 to recognise and reward some of the industry’s brightest and most promising talent. Held in association with headline sponsor A-Plant, this is the seventh consecutive year that the CPA has hosted the ceremony and it will be held at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley near Coventry. Traditionally, Stars of the Future has rewarded plant mechanic apprentices but the scope of the event has been widened even further this year to also include awards categories for both construction plant operator and lifting technician apprentices and trainees. Kevin Minton, Chief Executive of the CPA said: “This is a landmark year for the event and it recognises the introduction of recently introduced plant-related Trailblazer apprenticeships for plant operators and lifting technicians. Just with the plant mechanic apprentice awards alone, around 700 plant mechanic apprentices from around the country will be eligible to enter Stars of the Future, representing companies across the UK from plant hire companies large and small. “Stars of the Future is a brilliant event whereby we have the opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate some of the industry’s most promising apprentices and trainees, and it is very highly regarded by employers, the participating colleges and the individuals themselves. It has been fantastic to see the progress that some of the former national and regional winners have made in their careers since winning a CPA Stars of the Future award. Stars of the Future is one of a number of projects the CPA has initiated to support skills development. Others include research into supply and demand of plant operators and a Plant Skills Strategy Forum,” he continued. For the plant mechanic apprentice awards, the awards scheme is run in conjunction with UK colleges offering plant mechanic apprentice training. Apprentices are assessed throughout the academic year on their work in college and in their work environment, and the enthusiasm and commitment they bring to learning. There are separate prize schemes for Level 2 and Level 3 apprentices, at both regional and national level. The awards are intended to recognise and reward outstanding apprentices who not only bring ability and commitment to their learning and their work, but also possess those extra capabilities which mark them out as being not only the foundations of the future of the industry, but also potentially its leaders - the Stars of the Future. Stars of the Future is sponsored by organisations operating in the construction plant sector and sponsoring organisations have the opportunity to showcase their company to future stars of the construction plant sector and their employers. As well as the headline sponsor A-Plant, other sponsors also include Liebherr, ACOP and Stokey Plant. Snap-on is the tool kit sponsor and will be providing tool kits to be given out as regional and national prizes at the event. Companies interested in sponsorship and involvement opportunities for CPA Stars of the Future 2019 can contact lisa@lisacollinscommunications.co.uk or call 07968 840390 . We’re Seeking the CPA Plant Operator Star of the Future Do you have any trainee or apprentice Plant Operators in your organisation who you think are real stars of the future? This year for the first time, the CPA’s Stars of the Future awards ceremony has been expanded to include new awards, of which one is the CPA Plant Operator Star of the Future. To be eligible for the award, all nominees must comply with the following: • Be employed as a plant operator using one or more types of ride-on construction plant* • Be on a recognised apprenticeship or formal training programme of at least 12 months duration for the occupation • Have already achieved, or working towards achieving, a relevant NVQ, SVQ or other form of formal occupational competence-based qualification • Follow a formal training programme whereby appropriate off- the-job training is being followed • Operation of plant on at least two types of ride-on plant* forms a major element of the apprenticeship or training programme * Note: Excludes mobile, crawler or tower crane operations as these are covered by the Lifting Technician of the Year Award See page 11 for how to make nominations. (Pictured from left to right): Last year’s national CPA Stars of the Future winners Ciaran Warnes (Level 3 winner from National Construction College/TXM Plant) and Dan Pickles (Level 2 winner from Askham Bryan College/Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd). 10 CPA Bulletin > May 2019 www.cpa.uk.net