Apprentices at Yamazaki Mazak have scooped an unprecedented three awards at the annual Worcestershire Group Training Association awards ceremony.
The three apprentices, all of whom are now working full-time at the Mazak facility in Worcester, picked up their awards at a special event held at Worcester Rugby Club.
Bethany Addis with Justin Hughes (former Red Arrows Pilot)
Bethany Addis, 17, won Engineering Apprentice of the Year, the first ever female winner of the award. Bethany, who attended Bishop Perowne School in Worcester, is in her second year of a three-year apprenticeship. She is Mazak’s first ever female machining apprentice at its Worcester-based European manufacturing plant.
Harry Fuller, 17, who is in the second year of a four-year apprenticeship, won the Personal Development Award as part of his sheet metal apprenticeship. Harry was also previously a pupil at Bishop Perowne School in Worcester.
Finally, Joe Kennie, 21, won the Post-First Year Craft Apprentice of the Year Award. Originally from Nottingham, Joe moved to Worcester in order to undertake his three-year apprenticeship with Mazak. He is currently working in the heavy machining section.
Richard Smith, European Group Managing Director at Yamazaki Mazak commented: “We have expanded our apprenticeship scheme significantly in recent years and now have more than 50 apprentices working in our European headquarters and manufacturing facility.
“These three awards are testament to the ‘can do’ attitude of all our apprentices, their enthusiasm and willingness to learn. It is to the great credit of everyone in our Learning and Development Team, specifically Dave Barnett and Chris Morris, who have provided an outstanding working and learning environment in which young people can thrive.”
He continued: “I am particularly pleased with Bethany’s award and I hope it sends a signal that engineering and manufacturing is no longer an exclusively male profession.”
