EAST MIDLANDS BOY CROWNED OUTSTANDING PRACTICAL LEARNER IN REGIONAL FINALS OF 2007 EDGE AWARDS

It was announced today that Chris Richards, of BGB Engineering, has been named the East Midlands Practical Learner in the Edge Awards 2007, winning a prize of £2,000 for further investment into his own personal development and training. Through his excellent dedication and enthusiasm Chris battled it out to win the accolade. He has won a top cash prize and will now go through to the national finals to be held in November.  Last year, BGB Engineering won the East Midlands’ medium-large organisation prize.

Edge is an independent foundation dedicated to raising the desirability and status of vocational and practical learning among 14 - 25 year olds of all levels of ability.

Chris Richards is a product development engineer at BGB Engineering, a high precision electro-mechanical engineering company based in Grantham, Lincolnshire.  A regional judging panel made up of local business experts chose Chris because of his commitment to learning by doing.

Andy Powell, CEO at Edge, said: “Edge is delighted to award this prize to Chris.  He has worked incredibly hard and has achieved so much. Chris has really shown that hands-on learning is good for employees and employers alike. This is a great example of the good work we want to praise and reward.” 

Chris wasn’t sure what he wanted to do once he left school but after he spent his two-week work experience at BGB he knew that the electrical engineering industry was for him.  BGB were so impressed with Chris during his placement that they offered him an apprenticeship whilst he was still at school.  He joined the company in June 2003 where he worked initially for the first eight months in production learning the product and developing his hands-on skills.  During his time at BGB he has attended college and studied for his NVQ L3 in Engineering Design as well as his Ordinary National Certificate in Electrical Engineering.  He has just completed his first year of studying for his HNC in Electrical Engineering and is also fully certified in Advanced Modern Apprenticeship (Engineering).  This has put him approximately two years in advance of what would be expected. His individual ability has created a new product line and his current project that has just gone into production has an annual potential of £2 million for the company.  Chris plans to use his prize money to fund part of his second HNC year and if that goes well, to go towards funding his HND.

The Edge Awards reward organisations that provide outstanding learning opportunities for 14–25 year-olds and in 2007, also reward individuals for their practical learning achievements. This year Edge is awarding £300,000 to employers that provide quality apprenticeships, excellent work placements and other practical learning opportunities.

Chris said: “I am really pleased to have won this award.  I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do after I left school but getting the opportunity to try out an area of work I had been interested in before, definitely gave me a direction to head in.  Being offered an apprenticeship and having the chance to experience hands-on learning alongside experienced and skilled members of staff has really helped me progress.  I’ve learnt so much over the past four years and I’m glad that organisations like Edge are helping to promote and encourage young people like myself to consider whether a vocational learning route is for them.”

Chris will be attending the awards ceremony held in London on November 22 to discover whether he has become a national winner.  Journalists are invited to attend the awards ceremony at London's Camden Roundhouse.  

More information is available at: www.edgeawards.co.uk

< Back to News