Cleveland Bridge is congratulating two of its apprentices who have both been commended by the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) Future Manufacturing Awards.
Liam Simpson, 21, and Josh Cuppitt, 20, both from County Durham, were shortlisted in the Intermediate and Advanced Final Year Apprentice Award for Scotland, North East, Yorkshire and Humberside at a ceremony held at Pavilions Of Harrogate.
Each year, The Future Manufacturing Awards are hosted by EEF – the employers’ organisation which supports and champions manufacturing and engineering in the UK and Europe – to celebrate success, reward innovation and best practice, and recognise outstanding individuals.
To reach the final stages of the awards, Liam and Josh submitted a written application, following which they were interviewed by a panel of industry experts and had to provide examples of completed work for scrutiny.
Earlier this year, Liam was also named as Craft Skills Apprentice of the Year in the UK-wide Metal Industry Apprentice of the Year competition. He has also been shortlisted in the Apprentice of the Year in the Construction News Specialist Awards, which will be announced in 2018.
Both Liam, an apprentice plater, and Josh, an apprentice welder, are working towards becoming fully-qualified industry professionals at Cleveland Bridge’s Darlington site. During their training, they have been working as part of Cleveland Bridge’s team on flagship projects, including the Queensferry Crossing in Edinburgh.
Chris Droogan, Managing Director of Cleveland Bridge UK, said: “Liam and Josh are both exceptional examples of the top class talent we are fostering at Cleveland Bridge through our apprenticeships. Each of them should be commended for their work ethic, skill and eagerness to learn.
“Our apprentices and apprenticeship scheme continues to be recognised nationally and regionally for its excellent results. We have more than 20 young people working towards becoming fully-qualified, and each of them has an important part to play in the future of the business.”
Liam Simpson said: “I am very proud to have reached the shortlist at the Future Manufacturing Awards, especially as I have already won another industry award this year.
“I am very grateful for the support and encouragement I have received from my tutors and colleagues throughout my apprenticeship. I am set to qualify very soon and look forward to working on more exciting projects while building my career with Cleveland Bridge.”
Josh Cuppitt said: “Since joining Cleveland Bridge as an apprentice, the business has taught me so much and given me fantastic experience working on some amazing structures. I have put in a lot of work to get to this point, so to have my managers put me forward for this award, and then reach the finals, feels amazing and like all my hard work is paying off.”