THE Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has announced its Stars of the Future 2020 awards programme for plant apprentices and trainees is still going ahead, with the deadline for nominations being extended.
Despite the ongoing coronavirus situation, the trade association said it has taken the decision to continue with the programme in line with the latest government advice regarding the continuation of apprenticeships.
However, the physical awards ceremony that was originally scheduled for June 10 at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Warwickshire will no longer take place.
The CPA revealed it is in the process of considering viable alternatives to announce the winners of each awards category later this year, which could potentially take the form of a multimedia channel announcement.
All awards categories will still stand, with national and regional awards for Plant Mechanics, Plant Technicians, Lifting Technicians, Plant Operators and Hire Controllers across the UK.
The nominations deadline has been extended to May 31. Stars of the Future nominations are welcomed from plant-hire companies, manufacturers, contractors, suppliers and others operating in the construction plant sector and nomination forms are available on the CPA website at https://www.cpa.uk.net/starsdownloads/
Kevin Minton, chief executive of the CPA said, “We fully appreciate that it is crucial to maintain the recognition of outstanding apprentices in these challenging times, including as a mark of the support and dedication that their employers have given to each of the nominees.
“Although we are regrettably unable to hold the one day awards ceremony, we are working on devising a suitable alternative means of announcing and awarding trophies and prizes to the various winners. We know the next few months are difficult to predict, but we believe this is the right course of action at the present time and we will keep reviewing it. We look forward to working with our judges, employers and our valuable sponsors in maintaining this prestigious awards programme.”
