Community Awards 2006 Nominees

Colin Sanders Innovation CentreBusiness Trainee of the Year
(Sponsored by the Colin Sanders Innovation Centre)

Joe Bourne
A BRICKLAYING apprentice is building a successful career for himself with a collection of accolades to mark his achievements.

Joe Bourne, 21, is hoping to complete a hat-trick of awards after being nominated for Trainee of the Year in the Banbury Guardian Community Awards.

He has already scooped two trophies from his former college and a building firm for Apprentice of the Year and Best Craft Certificate Student.

Mr Bourne of Bodicote said: “It's great to be nominated and a real morale boost.”

Mr Bourne started out as a labourer for a friend's father and enjoyed the basic manual work. He then decided to sign up for a three-year course at Warwickshire College's Moreton Morrell campus to further his knowledge and develop his skills.

He said: “I didn't know what I wanted to do but bricklaying was great and I really warmed to it. I liked that I was helping to build something that would be around for a long time and it gave me great job satisfaction.”

Mr Bourne was presented with his first award while studying for his NVQ level two course in bricklaying at the college earlier this year. His combined success in the classroom and on the site put him top of his class of 30 students and earned him the college's Best Craft Certificate Student award from the south Warwickshire branch of the Federation of Master Builders.

While studying for his qualification, Mr Bourne split his time between academic learning at the college and practical work. He was given a placement with the Kings Oak South Midlands's Axis site in Merton Street and was presented with the South Midlands Apprentice of the Year award by the company.

He said: “That award was a real achievement because I was up against all the apprentices working for Kings Oak in the South Midlands.”

Mr Bourne has just completed his NVQ and is now working as a full-time bricklayer.

Davinder Rai
AN APPRENTICE vehicle mechanic who stumbled upon the career he loves has been nominated in our trainee of the year category.

Davinder Rai, 19, of Delapre Drive in Banbury, works for Target Vehicle Rental and says he discovered his passion for the job after joining the same college course as a friend.

He said: “I didn't know anything about cars, but was always interested in them like most other lads. I went along to college with my friend one day, who was doing the course, got into it and didn't want to stop.”

Mr Rai has been working at Target, based in Thorpe Way in Banbury, for three years.

A month ago he completed his NVQ Level 3 and City and Guild qualification for which he studied at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College in Banbury.

He passed all exams with flying colours, some at distinction level, and will now work full time for another year before completing his apprenticeship. Already he has knowledge of a range of vehicles from cars to 18-tonne commercial vans.

In January Mr Rai was runner-up in the national competition Young Apprentice of the Year. Target praised its employee for his efforts.

Line manager Peter Brisby said: “Davinder is a conscientious, hardworking and self-motivated individual who we are pleased to have with us on the workshop team.

“We are very pleased with his exam results and look forward to furthering his education and career here.”

Mr Rai works ten-hour days with the option of overtime on Saturdays.

“Compared to the stories I hear about how trainees used to be treated in workshops in the past, the job is pretty good,” he said.

“Staff help myself and the other two trainees out and I would recommend the job to anyone.”

Johnathon Hopcroft
THE hard work of an award-winning apprentice has led to his nomination for Trainee of the Year.

Johnathon Hopcroft of Barford St Michael was named Top First Year Roofing, Sheeting and Cladding Apprentice at the National Construction College (NCC) annual Midlands ceremony in Coventry on July 21 and is now in with a chance of collecting another award.

The 23-year-old is employed as an apprentice by Hawkins Roofing in Merton Street, Banbury.

General manager Paul Jackson said he was very pleased with Mr Hopcroft's efforts so far. He said: “For the type of work that we do, which involves a lot of risks, we were looking for a mature, capable apprentice and he is one of those individuals.

“Johnathon is a very likeable and capable lad with a lot of get up and go. He is very easy going and gets on well with the other lads but is also very hard-working. He posesses both academic ability and practical skills and is a very well-rounded individual for his age.”

Mr Hopcroft joined the firm 15 months ago and has just completed the first year of his apprenticeship. He is due to become fully qualified at the end of next year with an NVQ level 2 in roofing, sheeting and cladding and will continue to develop his practical skills at the company.

He said he was pleased and surprised to be nominated.

He said: “I feel very proud, it's good to know that hard work is recognised and it encourages me to continue to work hard and do well. I'm really enjoying my time with Hawkins Roofing.”

While studying for the qualification Mr Hopcroft has divided his time between academic learning, attending the CITB construction skills college in Birmingham on block release, and practical work.

College manager Gary Derrick said: “We are extremely proud of Johnathon. There has never been a more exciting time for young people to join the construction industry in the Midlands with many large-scale projects underway or on the horizon.

“The construction industry is set to boom and it is people like Johnathon who will continue to make our industry a credible and rewarding one.”

Research from the Construction Skills Network shows that the industry will need an extra 1,540 new recruits in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire each year until 2010 because of the expected boom.