Jake makes 'slick' moves & becomes a top apprentice

Jake Cawthorne - aka ‘Slick’ due to his impressive hairstyle – is an engineering apprentice at Gripple, the Sheffield-based manufacturer of the unique wire fastener, won the AMRC Training Centre’s 2016 Maintenance Apprentice of the Year Award.

For the last year, 18-year-old Jake from Gleadless, Sheffield, has been a multiskilled maintenance engineering apprentice at Gripple, spending one day a week at the AMRC training centre, until his apprenticeship ends in September, after which he hopes to be offered a full-time job.

Jake’s interest in employee-owned Gripple started early while he was studying at Birley Community College and, using his apprenticeship contacts, he secured a work placement at the company. He left college with an engineering GCSE and, because the Gripple placement had gone well, he applied for the 18 months’ apprenticeship.

Of his apprenticeship Jake said: “Fixing and maintaining Gripple’s machines is fantastic and, as equal shareholders, we all get along. We have freedom, which we use wisely and I hope I can look forward to a rosy future with the company.”

Gripple, takes on an average of two apprentices a year, all within the engineering department and, as part of their training, they rotate around the three Gripple sites in Sheffield to expose them to the differing types of engineering and technologies. Currently the company has five apprentices, and will be setting on another one, or possibly two this year.

The AMRC Training Centre judging panel felt that Jake was a perfect example of a very hard working and enthusiastic young person who has a very exciting future ahead of him.

For further press information please contact Margaret Laver at Proactive PR on 07723 010 752 or margaret@proactivepr.org.uk