A process technician who is among the first to complete a higher apprentice scheme at the AMRC Training Centre has reached the regional finals of the National Apprenticeship Awards.

Oliver Marsh, who trained at the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre in both mechanical maintenance and manufacturing engineering, has been shortlisted in the Apprentice of the Year awards (in the higher-apprentice category) (www.amrctraining.co.uk).

He works at OnePlastics’ ‘state of the art’ MGB Plastics factory in Rotherham and has already won an award for getting council crest plate changes down from 10min to 34sec, saving the company more than £137,000 a year in production process costs.

He will find out if he has won the regional finals in Leeds on 26 September.

The 22-year-old, who finished his apprenticeship in February, said: “I am very lucky to have been placed at MGB, with great mentoring. I’m grateful for the opportunities the company has given me throughout my apprenticeship.”

Nikki Jones, director of the AMRC Training Centre, said that Mr Marsh is a shining example of the success that can be achieved through apprenticeships.

“He is a credit to the AMRC Training Centre and to his company. He has displayed the passion and commitment that companies are crying out for in manufacturing and engineering, and being shortlisted at the regional finals is testament to that.”

Ian Cosgrove, a training advisor for OnePlastics, said: “Working closely with the AMRC Training Centre, we developed Oliver’s higher-level programme, integrating a polymer diploma to run alongside his mechanical qualification.

“MGB is extremely fortunate in having such a well-equipped and professional training provider on its door step.”