ALFED Apprentice of the Year Award – Meet the Judges!

In a time where there is an apparent skills gap in the UK aluminium sector, with the industry facing the reality of not only an ageing workforce but a clear lack of skilled workers within multiple organisations, it’s clear that something needs to be done to showcase that manufacturing can be an attractive career path. That’s why, at this year’s Aluminium Federation (ALFED) Annual Dinner, held for the first time at the De Vere Beaumont Estate, Windsor, on Thursday, 28th November, we are proud to be launching the inaugural Apprentice of the Year Award.

The award ties in greatly with work that ALFED has recently completed with Bloodhound Education with the Aluminium Ambassador Programme, which has seen ALFED members take on the role of ambassadors to go into schools and lead practical workshops for students, showing them exactly how exciting the aluminium sector can be.

For example, does your car have alloy wheels? This is just a fraction of the importance that aluminium has in manufacturing everyday items that we couldn’t live without. The Aluminium Ambassador Programme involves getting the students stuck into constructing a cardboard model of the famous Bloodhound supercar, using recycled aluminium cans to make the wheels. This gives students the satisfaction of directly using aluminium to make something with their own hands. This is the reality with a career in the aluminium sector.

The ALFED Apprentice of the Year Award aims to honour exceptional apprentices who have demonstrated remarkable skill, dedication, and contribution to the aluminium manufacturing and processing industry.

This award not only celebrates individual accomplishments but will also hopefully help to inspire and encourage the next generation of professionals in our field. The award ceremony promises to be a glamorous affair and will provide a platform to showcase and celebrate apprentices' exceptional talent and dedication across the aluminium sector. From manufacturing to sales, apprenticeships offer a flexible pathway for bright, highly skilled individuals to embark on rewarding careers in our industry.

The award will be chaired by Michael Horan, CEO of Sherwood Stainless and Aluminium, who launched a similar, successful initiative during his time in the steel sector, speaking on the launch of the award in the aluminium industry, he commented: “Our industry is facing a skills gap shortage, and we must take proactive steps to attract, upskill, and retain the best young talent. The Apprentice of the Year Award will not only celebrate the achievements of our apprentices but also inspire and motivate the next generation of leaders in our industry”.

Meet The Judges!

Due to ALFED being the voice of the UK aluminium industry and representing members from across the entire supply chain, the five award judges represent our five sector groups: extrusion, recycling, finishing, distribution, and transport. Our judges also share a similar passion for celebrating and encouraging apprentices in our sector, so let’s meet them!

Rachel Wiffen – Senior Process Engineer, Innoval Technology

Rachel works as a senior process engineer at Innoval Technology Ltd. She works with clients to optimise their rolling and finishing operations and improve their processes and products. She works on Life Cycle Assessment and sustainability projects and teaches several of Innoval’s aluminium training courses. Prior to joining Innoval, Rachel studied mechanical engineering at The University of Nottingham and entered the aluminium industry on a graduate programme. She worked in operational, maintenance, and technical teams before becoming a process engineer in the finishing departments of a large rolling company that served the lithographic industry. Rachel is passionate about encouraging young people to study STEM-related subjects.

Speaking about her passion for supporting apprentices, and why she wanted to become a judge, Rachel commented: “At Innoval we are working closely with ALFED and Bloodhound Education to promote STEM subjects to school children. We visit schools to talk about careers in engineering and the aluminium industry, we also run car-making workshops using aluminium cans as wheels. It is fantastic to see how engineering can be made more tangible to young people. I am delighted to be part of the judging panel to hear about the inspiring apprentices that we have in the aluminium industry today. I want to be part of the team that recognises and celebrates the successes of apprentices who are new to the industry and are already making big contributions to the future UK aluminium industry”.

Alan Lucas – Sales Director, BOAL Extrusion UK

“I’ve been working with extrusion businesses for the last 25 years. During this time, I’ve seen some fantastic people join this sector and blossom into some of the leading talent in the industry. There’s no denying the passion and enthusiasm that young people can bring. Still, it is our responsibility to harness those characteristics and develop them to bring through the next generation of industry-leading talent."

"But we need more. My worry is that our industry, along with many other “less glamorous” industries, is suffering from a skills shortage. The Apprentice of the Year Award will recognise and celebrate apprentices who are already hard at work in the world of aluminium and encourage the next generation to drive the industry forward. It is for this reason that I am delighted to join with Michael and the ALFED team in supporting this award”.

Josh Brough – Business Development Director, JBM International Ltd

Josh has spent 14 years in the Secondary Aluminium Ingot Industry and has focused predominantly on sourcing new ingot customers and suppliers of non-ferrous scrap metal, diversifying the business’ activities, planning and building development of the 13-acre site and more recently developing Sustainability best practices and Carbon reduction incentives into the business. Having started within the industry at 18 and spending time in all divisions of the business, he has always had an awareness of the knowledge and skills gap and the age differential and shortage of younger members of the team in the aluminium industry. Josh advocates promoting training, educational courses, and university degrees and developing young apprentices of all skill sets within the business. Josh went to University at the age of 24 to study Real Estate (MSc) after realising the importance of further education and exploring applicable skills to incorporate into the business.

In Josh’s words about being appointed a judge for the Apprentice of the Year Award, he commented, “It is an honour to be selected as a judge on the panel, having had first-hand experience of the often overlooked and complexity of joining the Aluminium industry first hand. There has never been a more exciting time to join the aluminium industry. There is currently a generational change in Sustainable Manufacturing and Procurement across all aspects of our industry. The younger generation will truly be our only chance to attempt to address global climate change issues in a world that has never been as connected, self-aware and environmentally conscientious in the history of mankind. -Time is of the essence! Therefore, it is critical to attract, promote and develop the younger generation to join one of the most diverse commodity sectors that affect so many aspects of our everyday lives”

Andrew Finlay – Group Managing Director, Richard Austin Alloys

“Having dropped out of a Chartered Surveying degree and with no formal qualifications, I subsequently spent several years jobbing, having not found a career path that interested me. I entered the aluminium industry 20 years ago with plenty of life experience but little knowledge of aluminium, and I embarked on an incredibly steep learning curve that continues today! Richard Austin Alloys has always been about its people and its staff – they are the business I work for! Their enthusiasm, determination and can-do approach in an ever-changing market are infectious. The key people throughout the business are promoted from within, demonstrating a natural career path for all."

"Today, like every other business in the Aluminium sector, we are looking to the future – history and knowledge are leaving our industry faster than we can share and replace it. This is an opportunity for people from within and outside the industry, regardless of age and experience. Apprenticeships are the most natural way of inspiring, involving and recognizing individuals for their ingenuity”.

  Yasmin Panam – Laboratory Manager, Barley Chalu Ltd

“From starting out working in the Laboratory to ultimately managing it, I have been on both sides of running a laboratory.  This vital experience has helped me improve my mentoring skills and know first-hand what struggles an apprentice can come across.  As a judge I am passionate about recognising the achievements and potential of young professionals."

"After leaving university and starting my career in the aluminium powder coating industry, I have seen a lack of young and new faces.  I am keen to help spread awareness of the aluminium industry and all it has to offer.  When starting out it was clear that having a good mind set and work ethic are the most important traits to have.  Learning on the job, with hands on experience, can give you so many vital skills that a classroom cannot.  As an industry we have an abundance of inspiring and knowledgeable professionals, who are keen to share and improve our community.  Being a part of the awards and to be a judge will mean I can help promote and encourage more young individuals to see what our industry can offer.  I am excited to see what hard work these apprentices have done."

"At Barley Chalu, we believe in fostering the growth and development of our team.  As a Laboratory Manager, I see first-hand the dedication and potential our apprentices bring to their roles, regardless of what background or previous experience they have.  Participating in the Apprentice of the Year Award allows us to recognise their hard work, celebrate their achievements and encourage a culture of excellence within our industry.  This award not only highlights the individual successes of the apprentices but also underscores our communities commitment to nurturing the next generation of industry leaders”.

So, that’s why our judges are passionate about inspiring apprentices in the aluminium sector. Do you have any hard-working, dedicated apprentices who completed their apprenticeship programme in either 2023 or 2024? Regardless of their age, we want your nominations… Because every apprentice deserves to celebrate their achievements!

The nomination deadline is Friday, 20^th September 2024, so nominate your apprentices now for their chance to get their red-carpet moment at the ALFED Annual Dinner!

For further information about the award, please visit www.alfed.org.uk/alfed-apprentice-of-the-year/.