Electrical Student Triumphs in National Competition
Posted by: electime 10th April 2025
An electrical student from South Hampshire College Group has won the national Sparks Learner of the Year competition, held in Birmingham, taking home a £2000 cash prize and an assortment of cutting-edge industry equipment.
Frankie McAll, a 20-year-old electrical apprentice at Eastleigh College, part of South Hampshire College Group, emerged victorious from eight competitors in what was a closely contested final taking place over two days. Each finalist was tasked with completing a professional installation layout from scratch, following the same illustrated instructions. The action unfolded at the JTL Centre in Birmingham, following a series of regional heats staged across the country earlier this year.
Cheering Frankie to success in Birmingham were his apprenticeship mentor, Dan Hutton from JTL, and his college tutor Paul Austin, who originally put Frankie forward for the competition. Frankie received a cash prize of £2000 as the overall winner, alongside a set of six power tools from the latest range, a tool rucksack, electrical connectors and a series of industry books.
Frankie McAll commented: “I was genuinely surprised and very happy to win. The final was very challenging compared to the regional heat and there was a lot to do in the timeframe. It’s given me a lot of confidence going forward and I’d like to thank all my college lecturers – Alan, Mark, Paul and James, as well as my mentor Dan from JTL and my employer Rob at Cardinal Electrical. I really felt their support throughout the whole competition.”
Paul Austin, Electrical Curriculum Manager at Eastleigh College, commented: “I am a very proud tutor and was extremely happy when Frankie’s name was called out. This is always a very competitive contest and it’s a huge achievement to even get a national finalist let alone a winner. This will open so many career doors for Frankie and hopefully set him up for a long and successful career in the industry. It’s also fantastic for our college and our apprentices will hopefully be inspired to see what can be achieved with hard work and dedication.”
The annual Sparks Learner of the Year competition celebrates the most exciting new talent in the UK electrical industry, allowing students to put their technical abilities, skills and knowledge to the test in a competitive environment. Organised annually by SPARKS Magazine, the contest begins with six regional heats held across the country before the grand final in the Spring. Frankie secured his place in the final by winning the South East regional heat in February.
For any further information, please contact South Hampshire College Group at info@shcg.ac.uk or visit www.shcg.ac.uk.
