The NSAR is thrilled to announce the winners and finalists of its inaugural Rail Apprentice of the Year competition, a national initiative to provide train and freight operators with an opportunity to celebrate success within their apprenticeship programmes and showcase the outstanding achievements of their rail apprentices.
Congratulations to the winners Daiyan Hussain (Level 2 Passenger Transport Operative) and Jahid Khan (Level 3 Train Driver) from MTR Elizabeth Line, and Paul Barlow (Level 4 Passenger Transport Operations Manager) from CrossCountry Trains. Entrants have been judged again a framework to find the finest apprentices from cohorts including Level 2 Passenger Transport Operatives (PTO), Level 3 Train Drivers (TD) and Level 4 Passenger Transport Operations Managers (PTOM). Candidates were assessed on their achievement within their apprenticeship programme, additional professional development and wider organisational contributions such as, customer excellence, company values, and peer support.
Honourable mentions go to the finalists; Manpreet Bains (TD) and Andrew Gomez (PTO) from Greater Anglia; Mary Curtis (PTOM) from GBRF Intermodal; Carrie Pengelley (TD) and Owen Wild (PTO) from CrossCountry Trains and Kevin Thompson (TD) from Lumo.
With thanks to the judging panel including Network Rail’s HR Director, Kirsty Derry, Operations Director, Darren Ward of West Midlands Trains and NSAR’s own Chief Executive Neil Robertson.
NSAR’s Skills Manager Mike Falconer who coordinated the competition remarks; “We are pleased with the support that the competition has received in its opening year and we are impressed by the quality and diversity of the submissions we have received. We look forward to opening the competition again in 2023 and plan to extend the competition by adding further categories in Digital and Rail Engineering.
Chair of the judging panel and NSAR Chief Executive Neil Robertson comments; “Rail apprentices are the future of the industry and based on the talent we see, the future looks bright! “