With the Government planning to create three million apprenticeships by 2020, UK resource management leader, Veolia has demonstrated its long-term commitment to apprentices as central to its long-term people development programme at a special awards ceremony at the House of Commons today.
Skills Minister, Nick Boles MP and Veolia’s Senior Executive Vice-President, Estelle Brachlianoff, presented its 2015 Apprentice of the Year Award to Ben Thompson, a twenty-two year old electro-mechanical engineering apprentice.
Selected from 500 Veolia apprentices across the UK, Ben is an engineer within Veolia’s Sheffield District Energy team supporting a network which converts black bag waste to heat 150 buildings across the city on behalf of Sheffield City Council.
As a result of attending EON Training School and Loughborough Technical College, Ben has completed an Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Engineering including a Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Maintenance and a BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Mechanical Engineering with a double grade Distinction*.
With the help of Campus Veolia, the company’s in-house learning and development centre, Ben is now undertaking NVQ Level 4 in Engineering and his second year in HNC Engineering.
Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia’s Senior Executive Vice-President, UK & Ireland, said: “As a two-time winner of the National Vocational Qualifications Employer of the Year award, we see many of our future leaders emerging from our apprenticeship programme which is central to our investment in the company’s long-term development.
“As we continue to push forward with our strategy of Resourcing the World the talent we grow is key to ensuring the skill sets needed to preserve resources in the future are developed today.
“We are also proud to be amongst the leading employers in the development of the new national Trailblazer higher apprenticeships which are the benchmark for quality training programmes that will anticipate business needs.”
Skills Minister Nick Boles MP said:
“Through hundreds of exciting apprenticeship programmes talented young people like Ben are receiving the training, qualifications and income to start a rewarding career. At 22, Ben’s already developed a range of high quality engineering skills and is blazing a trail for other young people looking to build a great career.
“It’s crucial that employers like Veolia continue supporting high quality apprenticeships which help young people build their skills and help boost the UK’s productivity and prosperity.”
