Archy is a real bright spark
Youngster made it through a difficult selection process APPRENTICE ONE OF TOP EIGHT IN UK
A TRAINEE electrician from Huncote has been honoured as one of the top eight apprentices in a national electrical apprentice competition.
Archy Oliver made it through a difficult selection process in which applicants were first tasked with a 40-question online exam, with the top 20 per cent then going on to take part in a two-hour written exam held at several locations across the UK.
However, with the traditional grand final recently cancelled on account of the pandemic, Archy has now been named as one of eight winners from an original 540 applications.
Now in its fifth year, the Electrical Apprentice of the Year competition was founded by the NICEIC and ELECSA, the UK’s leading certification bodies for electricians, in a bid to award the industry’s next generation of future talent.
Paul Collins, technical services manager at NICEIC and ELECSA, said: “It is always one of the highlights of our calendar, providing an important platform for us to reward and recognise the incredibly talented and hardworking apprentices we have operating in our industry today.
“While we were therefore very saddened to have to cancel this year’s final, we wanted to take the opportunity to honour each of our finalists who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, ability and potential.
“These really are the future of our industry, and we wish each finalist a fruitful and longstanding career in the vast, exciting and ever-changing electrical industry.”
The competition is run in conjunction with its official partner, the Scolmore Group, a major supplier of products to the electrical industry.
Each year, the competition sees hundreds of budding electricians come forward and put their knowledge and skills to the test for a chance to receive the title and win a range of prizes.
Along with the seven other finalists, Archy has now received a prize bundle of electrical goodies.
Archy said: “The competition is really big in our industry so I was excited to find out that named as a finalist.
“It’s definitely going to be a big confidence booster as I continue going forward in my apprenticeship.”
Archy’s employer, Jon Lowe of Lowe Electrical Contractors Ltd, in Leicester, said: “Archy has shown a willingness to learn and improve
I had been from the very start of his apprenticeship with us.
“We are delighted to hear about him being a finalist and this clearly demonstrates his skill, ambition and talent.
“We wish him the best of luck in his future career and are very proud to have him as one of Lowe Electrical’s apprentices.”