Trainee Gas Safe engineer Tom King has been named as the 2011
'Grimsby Institute PTS Apprentice of the Year'. The competition,
run annually by the Institute in association in partnership with
PTS, celebrates excellence in training and applauds the dedication
of students on the plumbing and engineering courses.
Having supported the competition for a number of years, the
staff at the Grimsby branch of PTS were thrilled to discover that
this year's winner was not only a regular customer but a
multi-award winner. So far Tom has also been recognised as the
'Northern Hip-Ex Apprentice of the Year' and come out on top in the
Northern heat of the hotly contested 'skillPLUMB' battle, organised
by the Summit Skills Council for Building Services Engineering.
Tom, aged 25, left the competition standing at the Manchester
based semi-final of skillPLUMB, scoring 96% on his practical
assessment - the highest score ever achieved in the event's
history. Tom will now join five other finalists in the national
final of skillPLUMB which is set to take place in September.
Keith Barton, Branch Manager for PTS Grimsby, said:
"Tom and his father Brian are both familiar faces at our trade
counter, so we were delighted to discover that he had scooped the
first prize in the Grimsby Institute PTS Apprentice of the Year
competition. Tom works hard at his studies and has the endless
support of his family. He has a natural talent for engineering and
his skills are credit to the King business and the industry as a
whole."
Brian King Heating and Plumbing Ltd is a real family affair with
Tom set to be the third Gas Safe Engineer after his father Brian
and sister Julia. Tom will enter his final year of studies in
September and plans to use his skills to drive the business forward
into other areas such as renewable technologies and domestic
central heating installations.
Tom comments: "Winning the PTS Apprentice of the Year award gave
me a taste for success and gave me the drive to enter other
industry wide competitions. The staff at PTS Grimsby are continuing
to lend their support as I prepare for the final of the skillPLUMB
competition and are always on hand for advice when I visit the
branch."
Keith concludes: "PTS wishes Tom the very best in the final of
skillPLUMB and hope that he continues to be an excellent role model
for other young plumbers studying at the Institute in Grimsby. We
are confident that we'll be seeing a lot more of Tom as he embarks
upon what is set to be a very successful career."
Tom was awarded retail vouchers worth £100 for winning the
PTS Apprentice of the Year. The final of the SkillPLUMB competition
will be held at the Leeds College of Building between the 14th and
16th of September.