Amble apprentice takes the silver in national contest

Nicole Chamberlain, 23, works for Nestlé UK, and she claimed silver in the Outstanding Final Year Apprentice Award, sponsored by Siemens.

It was presented at this year’s EEF Future Manufacturing Awards, held in London recently.

The award recognises the outstanding contribution being made by manufacturing apprentices across the UK.

It is highly-respected and hotly contested with winners selected by a panel of judges drawn from business leaders, industry experts and academics.

Nicole beat off tough competition from across the UK and came second after impressing judges with her strong problem-solving skills and unrivalled work ethic.

Judges said they had been overwhelmed by the high calibre of apprentices nominated this year, making her second-place finish even more of an achievement.

Nicole said: “It’s a massive honour to have got this far.

“It’s a fantastic way to end what has been an amazing few years as an apprentice where I’ve learnt valuable life and career skills.

“I know that other young people may be weighing up the benefits of an apprenticeship – all I can say is that it offers great opportunities and I hope my success demonstrates this.”

Toby Peyton-Jones, HR director at Siemens, praised Nicole for her success in the competition.

He said: “Nicole’s dedication, determination and drive make her an outstanding apprentice – a title she justly deserves.

“Apprentices like Nicole are the lifeblood of our sector and have a vital role to play in the future of engineering and manufacturing.

“She has a great career ahead of her and is sure to go from strength to strength.”

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, is the representative voice of UK manufacturing, with offices in London, Brussels, every English region and Wales.

Collectively EEF represents 20,000 companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals, across engineering, manufacturing, technology and the wider industrial sector.