THE country’s top plant apprentices and trainees have been honoured at the annual Construction Plant-hire Association’s (CPA) Stars of the Future Awards.
Over 700 apprentices were eligible for entry this year, representing major firms including GAP, Liebherr, Marubeni Komatsu, Nixon Hire and Vp plc.
Hosted at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre near Coventry, this year’s ceremony featured two new national titles handed out in the categories of CPA Plant Operator Star of the Future and CPA Lifting Technician Star of the Future. For the first time, employers were also invited to make nominations in addition to colleges.
Prior to the awards being given out by CPA chief executive Kevin Minton, assisted by Rob Squires, CPA training and safety manager, presentations were delivered by Patrick Flannery, MD of P Flannery Plant Hire and Campbell Howie, who was a previous CPA National Star of the Future winner in 2017 and has since set up his own construction plant repair business in Ayrshire.
There were a total of 21 college awards for both NVQ Level 2 and Level 3 plant mechanic apprentices. There were also three employer nominated awards for plant mechanic apprentices at NVQ Level 2 and 3 respectively, plus two national winners and the two new awards for plant operators and lifting technicians.
The 2019 CPA Stars of the Future Winners were:
Level 2 Plant Mechanic College Award Winners – Employer and College
Joe Adcock, Cementation Skanska Ltd (Askham Bryan College)
Lea Poole, Lifterz (Askham Bryan College)
Joseph Vincent, D and D Plant Services (Bridgend College)
John Beckett, Finning UK (Finning Academy)
Ross McLeod, Marubeni Komatsu (Glasgow Kelvin College)
Paul Talent, Riwal (Myerscough College)
Tyler Pearson, Wirtgen (National Construction College East)
Liam Mullin, AT Best Handlers (National Construction College Scotland)
Lewis Scott, Liebherr (NSCG Stafford College)
Shane Lynton-Edwards, A-Plant (Reaseheath College)
Stuart Arkell, Grant Plant Maidenhead (Wiltshire College)
Level 3 Plant Mechanic College Award Winners – Employer and College
Dan Pickles, Charles Wilson Engineers (Askham Bryan College)
Sophie King, CRH Plant (Bridgend College)
Benjamin Taylor, Finning UK (Finning Academy)
Paul Geddes, West Dunbartonshire Council (Glasgow Kelvin College)
Michael Barton, Chippindale Plant (Myerscough College)
Adam Dalton, Toppesfield Ltd (National Construction College East)
Sophie Gray, George Leslie Limited (National Construction College Scotland)
Scott Paskin, Dewsbury and Proud (NSCG Stafford College)
Ruby Potts, Burnley Plant Engineers (Reaseheath College)
Adam Davies, Molson Equipment Services (Wiltshire College)
Employer Nominated Plant Mechanic Awards
Keeran Moore, Go Plant (Level 2)
Brad Timmins, Go Plant (Level 3)
Kye Connop, Ainscough Crane Hire (Special Recognition Award)
National Winners – Plant Mechanic Stars of the Future
National Level 2 Winner – Joe Adcock, Cementation Skanska Ltd (Askham Bryan College)
National Level 3 Winner – Adam Dalton, Toppesfield Ltd (National Construction College East)
National Level 3 Highly Commended – Adam Davies, Molson Equipment Services (Wiltshire College)
Plant Operator Star of the Future – Jake Howard, P Flannery Plant Hire
Lifting Technician Star of the Future – Niki Fitzgerald, Select Plant Hire
