A REDDITCH engineer has won a regional award for his achievements in his apprenticeship, beating stiff competition from across the Midlands.

Paul Mitchell, 23, aerospace engineer for Redditch based global company Alcoa Fastening Systems & Rings (AFSR), won the Advanced Apprenticeship Graduate of the Year Award at a special ceremony in Coventry on December 10.

The award, which is issued by Midland Group Training Services (MGTS), is given to one apprentice each year in recognition of the achievements associated with successfully concluding their advanced apprenticeship.

Mr Mitchell said: "I was pleased just to have been nominated as it means my work has been recognised, so to win is just amazing.”

In order to pick a winner, the MGTS panel considers the employer and MGTS testimonials and apprentice achievements. As a consequence, a number of advanced apprentices are shortlisted for the awards; with the awards being structured to recognise local and regional achievement.

Mr Mitchell added: "I like to think of myself as quite a humble person, but when they announced that I’d won I felt I really had cause to be proud of my achievements. I didn’t think I was capable of being viewed as “the best”, so my advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship is to just go for it. Who knows where it might lead - you can achieve more than you think."

A spokesperson for MGTS said: “Paul had significant involvement in several developments being made and the passing of important quality projects, leading to improvements in Alcoa Fastening Systems & Rings, and the company’s manufacturing operations in Redditch. Paul is hard working, committed and a very large character."

An Alcoa spokesman said: “Over the four years, Paul has developed into a capable and conscientious engineer, obtaining the role of quality engineer and being the driver for a number of key quality improvement projects. Even now, Paul is willing to tackle tasks at any level, and this, combined with the skills learnt at Alcoa and during the MGTS apprenticeship, has gained him the respect he deserves.”

To find out more about apprenticeships, visit mgts.co.uk.