Renishaw scoops awards at Gloucestershire apprenticeships event

Now in their third year and organised by Gloucestershire Media, the awards aim to recognise both apprentices and the businesses which help drive apprenticeship schemes in the county. After the company won the Outstanding Contribution to Apprenticeships in Gloucestershire award, Eva Lily Fielding (pictured), an engineering apprentice with the company, won the top award of the evening – Apprentice of the Year. She had already accepted the Outstanding Apprentice of the Year in the Engineering and Manufacturing field award earlier in the evening in front of more than 270 guests at the ceremony. She not only works hard as a first-year apprentice in training at Gloucestershire Engineering Training, but also in her efforts to encourage more young people into apprenticeships. Eva has spoken to MPs, in schools and at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference about bridging the skills gap in Britain through more apprenticeships. She said: "It was a huge shock to have the honour of receiving both the awards in the first year of my apprenticeship. It's all a little overwhelming. I'm very proud to be an apprentice with Renishaw and hope to continue working hard in schools to promote apprenticeships. I feel that I have learnt more life and social skills in the last 6 months than my last 7 years in education." Addressing the promotion of apprenticeships, Eva said: "I do believe that more needs to be done in school to help promote apprenticeships and remove the 'Taboo' of them being a 'lesser form of education' than university. I made the right decision by choosing an apprenticeship with Renishaw, but there are still hundreds of missed opportunities for those who are not given the correct guidance and advice in schools." In granting Renishaw the Outstanding Contribution to Apprenticeships in Gloucestershire Award, the evening's host, Steve Knibbs, noted that during 2014 Renishaw is creating a record number of new opportunities for young people, including apprenticeships, graduate position and student placements. This includes recruiting a record 67 graduates, a further 32 apprentices, and giving summer and industrial placements to some 108 students. The company also currently has a record 111 apprentices in training at its five sites in Gloucestershire and at Gloucestershire Engineering Training.