More than 350 electrical students across the UK have already taken part in the first stage of the Electrical Apprentice of the Year competition — an online exam comprising of 40 multiple choices questions.
The competition, which will take place over three stages, continues its partnership with the Scolmore Group, which provides prizes for all finalists including holiday vouchers, iPads, and tool bags packed with electrical accessories. The Electrical Apprentice website, powered by Voltimum, has also partnered with the competition this year.
Stage one will close on Thursday 12 December 2019. The top performing 20% of students from stage one will then progress to the next stage which is a written practical exam. Stage three will see eight finalists take part in a series of practical tests at the Grand Final on Tuesday 2 June at The Scolmore Group headquarters in Tamworth.
Darren Staniforth, group senior technical presenter for NICEIC and ELECSA said, “I’m amazed at the response we’ve had to the competition thus far; this is the best start we’ve had in the history of the competition. But there’s still time for students to have a go and get involved.
“As the most recognised names in the industry, NICEIC and ELECSA have a responsibility to work with, encourage and promote apprenticeships and careers in the electrical industry to the next generation.
“Don’t just take our word for it. Last year’s winner, 31-year-old Richard Bradley from Southport, Merseyside said, ‘It was a fantastic experience and I would definitely recommend anyone wanting to push themselves further to consider taking part. You’ve got nothing to lose and you never know what will come from it’.
“We have some fantastic prizes on offer, including a £2,000 holiday voucher for the overall winner, courtesy of one of our partners, the Scolmore Group. Scolmore also host the grand final at their head office in the Midlands, as well as the awards ceremony and barbecue that takes place at the nearby Belfry Hotel. It’s not just the contestants who get to take home prizes – colleges and employers can also win a host of other prizes by nominating their apprentices or students to take part in the competition, so I’m hopeful that it will be another record-breaking year.”
For more information about the competition, or to complete stage one, visit www.niceic.com/apprentice.