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Bramall's Apprentices scoop top award

Bramall Construction almost swept the board at the "Keepmoat Apprentice and Trainee awards ceremony 2007/2008," which was launched to celebrate the talents of the group's top young apprentices.

Trainee bricklayer Michael Batey scooped the Apprentice of the Year (Craft) award and trainee Managing Quantity Surveyor Carla Lawrence picked up a prize for Trainee of the Year (staff) for Bramall North West.

Meanwhile, trainee joiner Luke Wyatt won an award for Trainee of the Year (Craft) on behalf of Frank Haslam Milan Yorkshire. The Craft category includes manual trades ranging from bricklaying to plumbing and joinery.

The awards ceremony was launched at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium in recognition of Keepmoat's most dedicated young apprentices who have promising careers ahead of them in the construction industry.

Keepmoat's business units held their own awards competitions for Craft Apprentices, Craft Trainees and Staff Trainees and the winners from each category were put forward as nominees in the overall Keepmoat awards.

Winners Michael Batey, Carla Lawrence and Luke Wyatt each received a £500 cheque, a personal trophy and had their names engraved on a Keepmoat shield.

Allen Hickling, Keepmoat's Regeneration Director, said: "This is the third award ceremony that we have run and everybody who has been nominated for these awards is a winner in their own right.

"Whereas there's a lot of uncertainty in the market at the moment we are making sure that we are in a strong position for when the economy starts to recover, and investing in trainees is a large part of that."

He continued: "We have decided to continue investing in the training and development of our people and that's why we host such award ceremonies and hold all our young apprentices in such high regard."


Trainee bricklayer Michael Batey was rewarded for his excellent time keeping and punctuality, but also his brick laying skills which were described as being of a high standard.

Michael, 20, who lives in Manchester, said: "I'm really really proud of winning this award today. It's definitely my biggest achievement and I really wasn't expecting to win. I've achieved an NVQ Level 2 and I'm now doing an NVQ level 3 through Stockport College. I really enjoy working as a bricklayer because it's a hands on job and I like to get involved in physical work."

Carla, 24, from West Derby in Liverpool, started work as an admin assistant with Bramall Construction North West before deciding to become a Quantity Surveyor. She has since achieved seven distinctions on her ONC course and is currently progressing an HNC.

"I'm so happy about getting this award," said Carla.
"I feel like everything's going for me and I'm just going to focus now on getting a degree."

Commenting on their achievements, Dave Prescott Managing Director, of Bramall Construction North West, said: "It's terrific news that two of our apprentices have been recognised for their outstanding performance at the Keepmoat Apprentice and Trainee Awards.

"I think that the awards reflect what great talent we have emerging into the construction industry both at Bramall Construction and through the Keepmoat group as a whole."