News
CONTINUED SUCCESS OF NAPIT SKILLS COMPETITION SUPPORTS NEXT GENERATION OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
The NAPIT Skills Competition, usually held at the Elex Toolfair in Harrogate, was held this year at Bury College. Students from winners of last year’s competition at Bury College took part in the timed practical competition along with students from other regional colleges, including Macclesfield and Burnley, to challenge their wiring and testing skills.
Results were verified by NAPIT assessors on the final day of the two day competition, with prizes presented to the runners up on the day. All students gaining a winning place were then invited to NAPIT’s Skills Competition Prize Giving Day at their Head Office in Mansfield.
Tutors, employers, family and friends joined the six winning students last month at NAPIT in Mansfield to receive their prizes, with Bury College student’s yet again scooping first place, this year for both levels!
Third year student Dean Meikle, first place for level 3, works for Bladen Electrical in Oldham and is studying City & Guilds 2330 Level 3 as part of an NVQ Level 3. He was presented with the NAPIT Gold Medal, a cheque from NAPIT for £75, a Kewtech digital clamp tester, a Di-LOG Combivolt Tester, a Megger Voltage Tester and a Summitskills Certificate. He now goes on to take part in the 2009 UK SkillELECTRIC Competition run by Summitskills.
Paul Heys, first place winner for level 2, works for Oakwood Maintenance of Bolton and is studying City & Guilds 2330 Level 2 as part of an NVQ Level 2. He was presented with the NAPIT Trophy, the NAPIT Gold Medal, a cheque from NAPIT for £75, a Kewtech digital clamp tester, a Di-LOG Combivolt Tester and a Megger Voltage Tester. The college can display the NAPIT trophy for a year. Paul said afterwards: “I am really chuffed at winning the Level 2 Gold Medal and the NAPIT trophy. My ambition is to become qualified and run my own business.”
Other winners included Oliver Wilson of Macclesfield College - second place for level 2, Martin O’Dell of Bury College - third place for level 2, Sam Hewitt of Macclesfield College - second place for level 3 and Bilal Saleheen of Burnley College - third place for level 3. All winners received a NAPIT gold, silver or bronze medal, along with a complimentary NAPIT Student Membership as a prize.
After presenting the awards, NAPIT Chief Executive John Andrews paid tribute to the students: Once again we’ve been very impressed by the young people taking part. Competitions like these are absolutely vital – giving the college and the students something to aspire to.”
“It’s absolutely critical that we support the next generation of electrical engineers – even in times of recession its something that we should not be ignoring. One of the first things that tends to suffer is training, so anything we can do to underpin this is important. “The world is becoming more electrical and opportunities are growing for young people entering our industry. While we already have heating systems with solar thermal and heat pumps, the area which will get the biggest financial support from the Government and make the biggest impact will be electrical microgeneration in homes and businesses.”
“In the future there will be stacks of opportunities here. There will be no problem in finding work for young people in our industry as long as they get broad-based and highly technical training. The world is their oyster.”
Success in the Skills Competition provides a platform for further achievement as second place winner for level 3 in 2008, Kyle Fallows of Burnley College, demonstrates, having recently been to London to receive a Medal of Excellence and the Frank Chorley Award.
NAPIT wish the all students that have taken part good luck for the future and their budding careers ahead.
For further information on how to take part in NAPIT Skills Competition for 2010 please call: 0870 444 1392, or alternatively email: NAPIT Cusomter Services