CPA Bulletin

STARS OF THE FUTURE: 3 Newton), the National Construction College(Scotland), Reaseheath College, Stafford College and Wiltshire College. The 2018 Stars of the Future event was sponsored and supported by Böcker UK, Explore Plant and Transport Services , the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), JCB, Select Plant Hire and Snap-on Tools. Before the awards were made there was a very informative presentation by Steve Bradby, Engineering Leader at Select Plant Hire and Chris Gatheridge, Head of Service and Compliance at Explore Plant and Transport Services Ltd, supported by Katie Kelleher, Lifting Technician and Trainee Appointed Person at Laing O’Rourke. They outlined their career paths in the construction plant industry, described the opportunities available in the Laing O’Rourke Group and highlighted the importance of having properly trained plant mechanics. Katie Kelleher was particularly inspiring to the young people in the audience. She had become bored with her job as a recruitment consultant and sent her CV to Laing O’Rourke. The company realised her potential and suggested that she became a Lifting Technician Apprentice. After training at the National Construction College and on site (the Tottenham Court Road Crossrail Station in London) Katie Kelleher qualified and went to work as a crawler crane operator on the Thames Tideway project at Blackfriars. Now she is a trainee Appointed Person on the Thames Tideway project. She says, “It was brilliant being Laing O’Rouke’s first woman apprentice and the company and my colleagues have been very supportive.” To determine this years Stars of the Future winners, all the eligible plant mechanic apprentices were assessed throughout the academic year on their work in college and in their work environment. As a result there were a total of 19 regional winners for both NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 apprentices, plus two national winners. The two national winners received Snap-on roll cart tool kits and the 19 regional winners won Snap-on student tool kits. Dan Pickles was the winner of the National Level 2 award but five other national finalists were in contention for the accolade, namely John Higgins who attends Bridgend College and is employed by Komatsu Mining Germany, Cameron Evans who attends National Construction College Scotland and is employed by Story Contracting, A-Plant’s Imran Ahmed who attends Reaseheath College, Scott Paskin who is employed by Dewsbury and Proud and attends Stafford College and Joe Hughes from ALC Vehicles and attends Wiltshire College. The standard was so high that Scott Paskin from Dewsbury and Proud was announced as the Highly Commended National Level 2 finalist. A total of three national finalists were shortlisted for the National Level 3 award. TXM Plant’s Ciaran Warnes was declared the winner and also in contention were A-Plant’s Tyler Lloyd who attends Reaseheath College and Liebherr’s Adam Counihan who attends Stafford College and was last year’s National Level 2 Star of the Future winner. National Level 2 winner Dan Pickles commented: “I really didn’t expect to win such a prestigious industry award and I can’t thank Askham Bryan College and Charles Wilson Engineers enough for the support they have given me. I have been 16 CPA Bulletin > August 2018 www.cpa.uk.net