SPARKS UK Electrical Apprentice of the Year announced

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  Posted by: electime      4th June 2018

Congratulations to Matt Taylor from Farnborough College, who was crowned the SPARKS UK Electrical Apprentice of the Year for 2018. As the winner of the competition, Matt received £1,500 of Schneider Electric equipment for both him and his college. Congratulations also go to Luc Mathlin from DCET in Exeter, who came a close second, receiving £500 worth of equipment for him and his college.

Launched in 2010 by SNG Publishing, the competition gives students the opportunity to be recognised for their hard work and skills. The competition brings together lecturers, employers, industry leaders and manufacturers to support the next generation of electricians and encourage them in their career development. The 2018 competition was entered by 71 apprentices keen to show off their skills.

Following the regional heats held across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to assess students on both practical and technical merits, Matt and the other finalists were invited to 3M’s Customer Innovation Centre to compete for the title.

Matt reached the final after finishing first in the South East regional heat. To win the competition, he had to complete the toughest test featured to date. This involved wiring, conduit bends, a consumer unit, switches, and bulbs, which were all live tested at the end of day two. As the competition’s Platinum Sponsor, Schneider Electric donated all of the materials for the competition bays.

Schneider Electric was proud to be the Platinum Sponsor for the second year running, and to support all of the students on their journey through the competition and beyond.

On finishing first in the competition, Matt said “I’m ecstatic – I just didn’t see myself winning. I entered to give myself a challenge and I’ve definitely achieved that. The other competitors were great and what I’ll take away from this is the knowledge that I can do something that I thought I couldn’t”.

Jocelyn Golding, Electrician Channel Programme Manager at Schneider Electric, said, “We are delighted to have the opportunity once again to recognise and reward the talent among young electricians, and support students on their journey.”

For more information and to stay tuned for announcements on 2019’s competition, sign up to Schneider Electric’s mySchneider Electrician portal.