Member Article

Leeds students engineer double award win

Two Civil Engineering students from Leeds College of Building have won coveted awards at a national ceremony that recognises and rewards the very best students who are studying for BTEC qualifications in the UK.

Liam Archer, who works at BWB Consulting Ltd, has been named Outstanding Higher National Student of the Year and Samuel O’Sullivan, who works at Pell Frischmann, was awarded Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (19+) at the National BTEC Awards 2016.

The event, which celebrates achievement in the country’s most widely taken vocational qualification, was held at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. The awards recognise the nearly one million students who are studying BTEC qualifications this year. Pearson, the awarding body for BTEC qualifications, received nearly 1,000 nominations across the 19 award categories for this year’s Awards.

Leeds College of Building lecturer Vicky Patterson, who nominated the pair, said: “Both Liam and Samuel are real success stories. Liam has progressed through BTEC Levels 2, 3 and 4, and he is now set to complete his level 5 higher apprenticeship which includes the BTEC HND in Construction and the Built Environment (Civil Engineering) this year. During his time at Leeds College of Building, he has evolved from a shy, quiet student into an innovative, strategic thinker who regularly challenges and changes ineffective procedures at work, runs CPD training for his office, volunteers at environmental days and mentors young apprentices.

“His conduct and dedication to his studies is always exemplary and as a result of his hard work during a placement at AECOM, the firm offered him an Advanced Technical Apprenticeship, which he accepted.”

Vicky added: “Samuel is currently working as a technician while doing his BTEC Advanced Technical Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering with our College and Pell Frischmann. He has excelled at College and developed a comprehensive portfolio of training competencies during his apprenticeship.

“He also achieved Technician Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (EngTech MICE) and many other awards. We are all very proud of Samuel who is committed to educating younger students about the benefits of apprenticeships and the engineering industry. He is passionate about improving standards and solving problems and wholeheartedly believes in engaging young people and his fellow students in Engineering. Samuel’s success has also had a really positive effect on his peers, many of whom now want to follow his lead and progress their own careers. Samuel truly is an outstanding apprentice and a future leader in Engineering.”

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson in the UK, said: “BTEC is a high quality and demanding qualification with those in possession increasingly sought after by universities and employers. This year’s judges were impressed by the quality and number of nominations we received, but Liam and Samuel really stood out as a truly exceptional students and deserve huge congratulations.”

For more information about Leeds College of Building and its courses visit www.lcb.ac.uk or call 0845 129 7857.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Mortimer .