We would like to Congratulate Lewis Williams who is employed by Detail Design Engineering Ltd in Sale, as he has been awarded a STEGTA Excellence Award for Outstanding Performance in Engineering Maintenance.
We asked Lewis how he felt about winning the award.
“My name is Lewis Williams, I work for a firm called Detail Design Engineering who are based in Sale, Greater Manchester and specialise in the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of building energy management systems.
I have been with Detail Design Engineering since I left school at 16. 4 years later I have grown into a fully qualified engineer working within the maintenance team. Within my 4 years I have completed an Advanced Level Apprenticeship in engineering manufacture (Engineering maintenance). This included an NVQ Level 3 extended diploma in engineering maintenance and a Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Electrical/Electronic Engineering.
Thanks to the incredible support I received from STEGTA, especially my Training Officer, Dave Smith, I was able to complete my Apprenticeship and obtained a double distinction star in my BTEC level 3. This enabled me to attend University on day release and study toward my Foundation Degree which I will be finishing this year. Once completed, I will be able to attend a BSC top up course next year and so will obtain an Honorary Bachelor’s degree by the end of next year provided I pass my exams and coursework.
I was thrilled when I heard that had won a STEGTA Excellence Award as it is nice to have all of my hard work recognised and acknowledged. I would like to thank STEGTA for their ongoing support and investment in myself. I would like to especially thank both Dave Smith at STEGTA for his encouragement and guidance throughout my Apprenticeship. Jamila Flanagan from Detail Design Engineering for her support within the work place and striving to get the best training for myself and our other apprentices”.
Lewis’s Training Officer – Dave Smith commented:
“Lewis started his apprenticeship at DDE in September 2015 as a 16 year old Wellacre school leaver. He’d previously done some work experience at the company in school holidays and senior members of staff were very impressed by the maturity and organisation of someone who was so young.
He started to attend the Stegta Training Centre shortly after starting at company and quickly impressed his instructors with his quiet, determined attitude to get things right.
Lewis continued to have a quiet demeanour throughout our review sessions but always managed to ask the right questions and showed me that he fully understood what was being asked.
This unassuming demeanour continued during the NVQ process, but it was clear his confidence was beginning to grow. Work also noticed, that despite being quiet, he was growing in confidence and after a year or so in company was given his own company vehicle and started to attend service jobs on his own. The trust the company showed him at this young age is indicative of Lewis’s approach to work, and life in general, and is a positive affirmation of the ability he has in his chosen career.
Lewis completed his apprenticeship in October 2018, over a year earlier than expected, which is a reflection of the commitment put into the process. He could not have achieved this without dedication from himself, his mentor Jamila Flanagan and the rest of the team at DDE.
It is however, in his academic studies where Lewis has impressed the most. Lewis thrived during his time on his technical certificate and achieved distinctions in 10 of his 12 subjects, meaning his final BTEC grade was the maximum possible double distinction*.
After his BTEC, instead of progressing to a HNC, it was decided that Lewis may do well on a degree programme, and I advised him to apply to Glyndwr University for a part time foundation degree in Industrial Engineering.
Lewis completed the first year of this (attaining ‘first’ level grades), and is now well underway into the second year. He is on target to achieve his Fd Eng in Sept 2019 and his BEng in Sept 2020.
If Lewis achieves his BEng in 2020, just five years after starting a four year apprenticeship, whilst working full time and completing his Apprenticeship/NVQ at the same time I would say it would be a remarkable achievement.
I wish Lewis all the best in the future which, given the last four years, will undoubtedly be very successful indeed”.