Apprentice Sam Casey Wins Prestigious National Award

We are thrilled to announce that Sam Casey, an apprentice at Gestamp Tallent and student at Hartlepool College of Further Education, received the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers Prize at the City and Guilds of London Institute Livery Company Prizes. This prestigious national award recognizes Sam's exceptional talent and hard work in the field of toolmaking.

During the award ceremony at Mansion House in London, Sam received the award from The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor, Nicholas Lyons, and Master John Mill of the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers. Sam's approach to developing himself and his work at Gestamp Tallent's Newton Aycliffe site has impressed everyone, including the citation that earned him his award, which referred to his 'high-quality work', 'perfect attendance and punctuality', and 'excellent work ethic'.

Reflecting on his achievement, Sam said, "To be in the centre of London in such nice surroundings picking up an award was a fantastic experience, it was completely different to anything I had done before." He added, "I would love to go on and do a degree to work towards becoming an engineer. There is plenty of room for development, and I just want to keep going and learning."

Sam's dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed by his employer, Gestamp Tallent. Mark Heslop, Gestamp's apprentice coordinator, said, "Sam has a great attitude to work and is very determined to do the best he possibly can, all the time." Michael Greener, Toolroom manager at Gestamp, added, "Sam has worked extremely hard from day one. He makes things look easy. However, that is down to his complete commitment and focus. His thirst for knowledge and attention to detail are exceptional."

At Hartlepool College of Further Education, Sam is studying an HNC in mechanical engineering as part of his Tool and Die Maintenance Engineering Technician apprenticeship. Gary Riches, an assistant principal at Hartlepool College, said, "It is a fantastic achievement, and he has done extremely well to consistently reach high achievements both academically and practically across a three-year period. We are confident there is even more to come."

We are proud to have Sam as one of our apprentices, and we are honoured that he has been recognized with this prestigious award. The close relationship between Gestamp and Hartlepool College has enabled us to tailor the apprenticeship program to suit the needs of the employer and ensure that our students receive invaluable support and guidance throughout their studies. We are excited to see what the future holds for Sam and wish him all the best in his career as an engineer.

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