An apprentice from Blackpool and The Fylde College has been named as the UK Nuclear Apprentice of the Year at the third annual UK Nuclear Skills Awards Evening.

Sam Park, a third year apprentice with EDF Energy at Heysham, beat off competition to win the northwest/northeast regional award and ended the evening with the trophy for overall UK winner. Sam has undertaken the BTEC National Certificate and is currently finishing his Higher National Certificate in Electrical & Electronic Engineering with the College. He plays an important role in the area of injection testing, for which he is the lead. Sam also trains new members of the team in this area.

The awards, held in Manchester, are organised by the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and Cogent Sector Skills Council and attended by over 300 Nuclear employers, training providers and key stakeholders who came together to celebrate the success and high achievement of the learners nominated for awards.

The evening not only highlighted the achievement of the Nuclear Stars of the future it also highlighted the hard work which is being undertaken by existing people within the Nuclear sector to help to raise the skills levels within their own organisations and for the sector itself.

Jean Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear said:

“The UK Nuclear Skills Awards highlights the exceptional quality of vocational learners, who are committed to careers in the nuclear sector. Apprenticeships and Foundation Degrees/HNDs are key avenues for replenishing and building skills for the nuclear sector. It is extremely important to highlight the real and tangible contributions which these students make to their organisations on a daily basis.

“I would like to personally congratulate all of the winners, they are all examples of excellence in skills development and I wish them all the very best for the future”

Pauline Waterhouse OBE, Principal of Blackpool and The Fylde College said:

“I am thrilled and delighted to hear of Sam Park's success. It is a tremendous accolade for him and for his company. This is also a significant achievement for the School of Engineering and Computing and the College as a whole. The team who teach Sam have made a very real contribution to this success and should feel justly proud.”