Ben Siddall from Barnsley has become the fifth ‘Apprentice of the Year’ at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) (
www.amrc.co.uk); the 21-year-old, who works for C&S Fabrications in Sheffield, will now get the chance to tour Boeing’s commercial-aircraft production facilities outside Seattle in the USA, to see first-hand how the world’s largest aerospace company designs, tests and builds its aeroplanes.
Ben said one of the main highlights of his year was using the skills he has learnt at the AMRC Training Centre to support improvements at C&S Fabrications.
Shaun Siddall, managing director of C&S Fabrications, said: “We are so proud that Ben has won Apprentice of the Year; he is a fantastic representative for our company.
“He has brought a different approach to the company and has implemented process improvements that have brought great benefits to our workplace, all under his own initiative.
“Bringing in younger talent definitely brings in fresh ideas, and having an apprentice join us from the AMRC has been such a worthwhile experience.”
Sir Keith Burnett, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “The AMRC Training Centre gives people a crucial alternative route into higher education, so here at the university and the AMRC, we are able to attract the clever and talented individuals who are such a magnet to inward investors seeking skills.”