MAN Truck & Bus UK has celebrated the success of its young high-flyers with an awards ceremony, where Claire Young, a former contestant on the BBC’s The Apprentice spoke about her experiences on the TV show and her career.
The annual awards ceremony involved more than 200 apprentices and honoured guests, including representatives of The Outward Bound Trust and the S&B Automotive Academy. S&BAA has a ‘state-of-the-art’ CV workshop and training facility in Bristol where the apprentices spend time learning and practising their skills.
Paul O’Cain, Head of UK Service, said: “This is about recognising achievement and celebrating the talent with the potential to progress and become the management, supervisors and even the managing directors of the future.
“As graduates of this scheme I am proud to say the apprentices have reached a pivotal point in their careers. They are now skilled workers with qualifications and experience that will see them grow and develop throughout their working lives. We want to retain the best people and we are committed to training and offering career opportunities that will reward talented people.
“The key to successful business is evolution and embracing change as it happens. The MAN apprenticeships began in 1986 and they have evolved over those 21 years.
“The programme has been expanding and the number of placements has also been growing. This year’s intake was a record. We accepted 50 young people on our placements across four disciplines. In total we have had 1,000 apprentices through our books.
“When they began they were purely for technicians, but they have expanded to include trainees in the parts department, and business administration and for the first time, this year, we are celebrating the young high-flyers who are working their way up in our sales department.
“The graduate apprentices of 2017 truly are the faces of the future and with solid training behind them I am confident they will continue to provide top class service.“
As well as the individual achievement awards all those who have completed their MAN apprenticeships were handed their graduation certificates at the event at The Mere Resort, in Knutsford, Cheshire.
The awards at the MAN Apprentice of the Year ceremony included:
Year 1
Winner: Zach Barsby, MAN Nuneaton
Runner up: Harvey Suckling, MAN Felixstowe
Most improved: Edward Lawrence, Cordwallis Reading
Year 2
Winner: Neko Daniels, MAN Westbury
Runner up: Duncan Bristow, MAN Westbury
Most improved: Daniel Stuart, MAN Swindon
Year 3
Winner: Christian Chirwa, MAN Nuneaton
Runner up: Francis Cassar, PCL Group
Most improved: Joshua Ladley, HRVS Group
Business and Admin Level 2
Winner: Melissa Dixon, MAN Gateshead
Runner up: Nathan Thompson, MAN Manchester
Most improved: Georgia Smee, MAN Exeter
Business and Admin Level 3
Winner: Suzanna Atkinson, MAN Felixstowe
Runner up: Charlotte Brooks, MAN Bristol
Most improved: Tuesday Nicol, MAN Plymouth
Parts Level 2
Winner: Jacob Phillimore, MAN Westbury
Runner up: Roddy Beaton, MAN Bellshill
Most improved: Ross Macrae, MAN Grangemouth
Parts Level 3
Winner: Steven Douglas, MAN Felixstowe
Runner up: Dean Rae, MAN Dunfermline
Most improved: Nicole Whitaker, HRVS Group
Sales
Winner: Bradley Kirk, HRVS Group
Runner up: Benjamin Deacon, MAN Nuneaton
Most improved: Mitchell Holmes, MAN Nuneaton
For more information: www.truck.man.eu