Shining National Recognition for Sapphire

Here at Hartlepool College, we have the reputation as a leading provider of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education, and this goes from strength to strength as one of its recent engineering apprentices, Sapphire Heselton, was nominated for the Make UK ‘National Apprentice of the Year’ award.

This prestigious event took place at London’s Canary Wharf and Sapphire was representing not only the College but also her employer, Gestamp Tallent based in Newton Aycliffe. Sapphire completed a four-year engineering apprenticeship in the summer of 2019. The programme combined studying here at the College, Eas well as working as at Gestamp Tallent.  The apprenticeship afforded Sapphire the opportunity to gain numerous qualifications up to and including a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Mechatronics.

Training Manager, David Pearson said, “We’re delighted that Sapphire has been short-listed for such a prestigious award.  She has worked hard over the four years of her apprenticeship and fully deserves this recognition.”

The college’s Principal, Darren Hankey stated, “Sapphire has been a model student for four years and she was recognised as the college’s Engineering Student of the Year during her time with us.  This recognition is greatly deserved not only for Sapphire but also for the college’s engineering department which has a long and established track record of high quality delivery.”

Sapphire is now employed on a full-time basis at Gestamp Tallent as a Multi-Skilled Maintenance Technician.