Three apprentices from BAE Systems in Lancashire have taken home accolades at the prestigious BAE Systems UK Apprenticeship Awards for 2018.
Daniel Hogg was named Technical Operations Apprentice of the Year and Hannah Booth scooped the Business Administration and Support Apprentice of the Year Award. Shannon O’Callaghan, Business Apprentice was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award on the night. All three are based across BAE Systems sites in Warton and Samlesbury.
Daniel impressed the judges with his strong potential for leadership and had previously been named North West Aerospace Alliance Apprentice of the Year 2017. Hannah displayed maturity beyond her years according to the judges and was noted as a role model to her peers.
Presenting the Outstanding Achievement Awards, the judges commented that Shannon is an inspiration after she shared the highs and lows of her apprenticeship journey in a company-wide blog.
The annual awards celebrate the outstanding talent and potential of BAE Systems’ apprentices and this year’s awards were presented at a ceremony in Leeds.
Presenting the awards, Steve Fogg, Managing Director of Shared Services, said: “Our awards celebrate individual achievement; inspiring stories of community and charitable endeavour and the remarkable contribution our apprentices make to our success. We’re very proud of the investment we make in apprentices and early careers but it is the efforts, achievements and successes made by individuals that make that investment worthwhile for our business.
“Congratulations go to all our winners. It’s fitting that in this, the Government’s Year of Engineering, we are able to celebrate so many great stories of engineering and engineering support. I look forward to seeing how all our nominees progress in their careers.”
Speaking about his apprenticeship, Technical Operations Award winner, Daniel Hogg said: “I never thought I’d become an engineer – I always wanted to be a dentist until I changed career paths and realised how much I enjoyed my new vocation. I completed my apprenticeship last year and I’m now a facilities engineer at Samlesbury.
“During my apprenticeship I was lucky enough to lead the local and national apprenticeship Council. Getting involved with different projects and activities helped me win two external awards: North West Aerospace Alliance Aerospace and Defence Apprentice of the Year and the EEF Regional Higher Apprentice of the Year.”
Hannah Booth, Business Administration and Support winner, added: “I completed my business management apprenticeship last year and I loved the experience the scheme gave me. I spent a lot of time in project management before moving into communications on my final placement.
“If I were to give any advice to new apprentices it would be to always say yes and take any opportunity offered.”
BAE Systems is committed to nurturing talent and high-end skills as one of the largest recruiters of apprentices in the UK. The Company recently announced it is currently training 1600 apprentices across its UK-based defence and security businesses – equivalent to around six per cent of its employees.
BAE Systems is recruiting 120 apprentices in the North West to join the Company’s Air sector in September 2018. Apprentice opportunities are available in functions such as engineering, business administration and project management, at different levels, including degree level apprenticeships.
