Finalists shortlisted for prestigious Semta Skills Awards

Definitely an event established in the calendar and recognised as industry’s night of the year – the Semta Skills Awards, to be held at London’s Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, on Wednesday 8^th March 2017, will behosted by BBC Breakfast’s Steph McGovern, and is considered to be the most prestigious of the year.

Twelve companies, ten men and five women will now do battle to be named the winner of their category with one lucky finalist being named the overall Best in British Engineering.

The nine categories are: Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by MBDA); Higher Apprentice of the Year (Sponsored by Rolls-Royce);Graduate of the Year (sponsored by Airbus);Skills Champion of the Year (sponsored by BAE Systems); Skills Innovation of the Year (sponsored by GetMyFirstJob);SME Investment in Skills (sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover);Technician of the Year (sponsored by Royal Academy of Engineering);Training Partner of the Year (sponsored by EAL) and Diversity in Engineering (supported by WISE).

Ann Watson, CEO of Semta said: “Our industry is often guilty of not shouting about its successes. The Semta Skills Awards gives us all the chance to tell the World just how good we are, the achievements we made – which is more important than ever as the country seeks to establish new partnerships in a post-Brexit world where skills will matter even more than they do now.

“It is fantastic to see so many new companies entering this year and the fact SMEs, which are so crucial to the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector, are well represented. It shows the awards have strength in depth right across the sector.

“I would like to congratulate and wish all the finalists good luck, it is a real achievement to get this far. I particularly want to thank our excellent and valued sponsors who have not only financed the awards but had the unenviable task of selecting the finalists – and what a superb high standard we have, evidence of how much our awards are valued and have grown – now in their fourth year.

“The 8^th March 2017 promises to be a fantastic evening of celebration where we can honour the very best in British Engineering and showcase the young skilled men, women and businesses both large and small that will help our economy grow.”

Six hundred people are due to attend the glittering networking evening with a key note speech from Antony Jenkins, chair of the Institute for Apprenticeships and attended by some of the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry’s biggest brands together with the crucial SME supply chain that make up 98% of the sector.