NLTG Apprentice of the Year – William Holmes, Printed Cup Company

William Holmes started his Level 2 Apprenticeship in Warehousing & Storage on 12th September 2016. His scheduled end date was 13th January 2018, however with the quality and quantity of work Will produced, he finished his Level 2 in just over 12 months, on 9th October 2017. He has since progressed and is now studying a Level 3 Logistics qualification.

Earlier in the year, Will’s employer, the Printed Cup Company, were so impressed with his work ethic that they put him forward for ‘Apprentice of the Year’ in the Lancashire Business View Sub36 Awards. The judges were so impressed with Will’s work and the personal challenges he has overcome, that they named him ‘Apprentice of the Year.’ If that wasn’t enough, he also won the Printed Cup Company’s Employee of the Year Award on Friday 15th December, and to put the cherry on the cake, and to end a very impressive year, he has just been named NLTG’s Apprentice of the Year 2017; beating the competition from over 2000 other NLTG Apprentices.

Pictured below is William receiving his NLTG Apprentice of the Year certificate, trophy and cheque from NLTG Operations Directors, Gareth Lindsay and Collette Humphreys, alongside his NLTG tutors.

Left to Right: NLTG Operations Director Gareth Lindsay, NLTG Tutor Lee Beveridge, William Holmes, NLTG Tutor Sally Landsborough, NLTG Operations Director Collette Humphreys

Will’s Tutor, Lee Beveridge, said; “Will is always positive in his mannerisms, receptive in relation to new theories and enthusiastic to learn more. During the time spent with Will as his Tutor, I’ve seen his confidence, understanding and self-awareness progress.”

Upon enrolment, Will was found to have dyslexia. To help him develop his skills, he received additional support from his Skills for Life Tutor, Sally Landsborough. Thanks to his continued motivation and dedication, he has flourished in both Maths and English, achieving a Functional Skills Level 2 English qualification and Functional Skills Level 1 Maths qualification. He has now progressed to a Functional Skills Level 2 Maths qualification, in which he is excelling.

Will said; “The company and my tutors have brought me out of the shell I have been in for the majority of my life. I have gained more courage from the things I have passed, like my fork lift licence for example, and my Maths and English qualifications. I have become more confident at speaking to new people and found it a lot easier making new friends.”

Feedback from his employer is always positive; Shahida from the Printed Cup Company explained that Will has become an invaluable asset to the department in a remarkably short period of time. He is always cheerful and good humoured, always quick and willing to learn, approaching every new challenge with a relish and maturity beyond his years.

Warehouse Manager at the Printed Cup Company, Tony added: “I know that I can delegate responsibility to Will, safe in the knowledge that the task will be carried out to perfection and without the need for my direct supervision. This in turn allows me to concentrate on future planning for the benefit of the department and the company as a whole.”

Well done Will !!