Our President John Aldersley and his wife Jill attended the recent Leeds Manufacturing Awards Meeting and Ceremony at Leeds Beckett University and here is his comprehensive report:-
“The Leeds Manufacturing Awards are organised by of a group of engineering companies and manufacturers in Leeds and are all about promoting the two disciplines for young people and has a variety of sponsors. Familiar to the Leeds Association of Engineers are; M.A. Ford, Kirkstall Precision Engineering and The Leeds Welding Company, all of which we have visited along with many other up and coming companies.
This was posted after the event as the Yorkshire post presented the awards at Leeds Beckett University:- https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/leeds-manufacturing-festival-awards-hail-industrys-rising-stars-as-winners-announced-5175684
Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards Winners L. to R. Eesa Mahmood – Apprentice Winner, Isabelle Pearce – Rising Star, Matthew Lambert – Future Manufacturing Leader, Mitch Scott – Manufacturing Advisor, Ben Wilson of MPM Ltd – Employer of the Year, Kiera Barrass – Rising Star, Cameron Pinder – Manufacturing Ambassador, Nick Robinson, Manufacturing Leader. (Photo by Simon Dewhurst for Leeds Manufacturing Festival awards)
Cameron Pinder (one of our council members, along with Isaac and Martins, all from Kirkstall Precision Engineering) had an invite from the Awards organiser, David Baggaley, not knowing that he was going to be involved, until I pointed out that he was doing an ‘open mic’ talk along with my ex-boss from the engineering dept. at Leeds City College, Mitch Scott. When I pointed this out none of us knew that there was a surprise in store for them both.
We choose to let the train take the strain and had a pleasant walk up from the station, travelling without coats, which was very unlike us both, but it was a warm evening.
The event was very well organised but myself and Jill were a little apprehensive what with the online booking, that can be a cause for amusement to myself, with QR codes to scan, but no, there was a list and a lanyard already prepared and a token for a free drink, soft or alcoholic. When we arrived, it was quiet and as any good engineer does, we moved swiftly to the bar for a soft drink ! As we approached the bar, I spot one of my ex-students, Kiera, for those who attended the Leeds Welding visit you may remember Richard the MD saying he had set his first female welding apprentice on, and mentioned her name, I had taken to Kiera and had taught her for a couple of years. Kiera was pleasantly surprised to see me and after saying that I had abandoned the class and retired gave me a hug, saying she didn’t know why she has been put up for an award and felt a little uncomfortable. She was in good company as Jill didn’t know anyone either. Kiera said “what are you doing here”, I said “to see how you were going on.”
Then Mitch arrived with a member of the organisers, again she was shocked and I must say pleased to see her ex unorthodox teacher. My teaching methods had been frowned on by some academics, but what is wrong with taking a punch pad into class for the students to hit to release some energy. The fact that a couple got to look at the ceiling when they asked me to hit it ! We talked about the association to her friend discussing Cameron, Martins and Isaac and then Mitch asked about Harry, another member of the council, who is coming up to start his third year at the University of Leeds, I said to Mitch that she was doing an ‘open mic’ talk with Cameron. She thought it was an error as she had recently retired on medical grounds. A little later her friend who had asked Mitch to attend, told me Mitch was being given an award but didn’t know about it ! Luckily I didn’t know any of this and had only read of the itinerary for the event as below :-
After I had sampled the free nibbles, and very nice they were, I had a look around the room and spoke to Richard and a colleague of his and thanked him for letting us visit Leeds Welding. The company is thriving with the emphasis on young people and apprenticeships. Jill and I talked to the parents of another apprentice who was up for ‘Apprentice of the Year’ (LWC). It was nice to see parents showing an interest in their son’s work.
Next your ‘beady eyed president’ spotted that ‘Sulzer’ colleagues were next to us and I got to tell them about the association and that I was in contact with Redvers Paley, who they knew and that we were in the process of arranging a visit. They had with them a young lady doing her year placement from university and receiving an award later.
Before we went down to the theatre, I had spotted earlier a ex-student Kofi Taylor (Saftronics) who came third in ‘Apprentice of the Year’. He was a tad surprised to see his old lecturer (I use that term lightly !) at the event. I have asked his company for a visit but no reply is yet forthcoming.
3rd form the left Kofi Taylor
The theatre was nearly full and the awards came thick and fast. I thought it was a modern take on how the LAE would do things with the backing, contact and money. The highlight was when Cameron was passed the ‘mic’ and gave his take on leaving school and knowing very little about engineering, but having granddad Martin behind him took to it, He thanked the sponsors (Chris Wagstaff and all at M.A. Ford know what they have done to help) and the opportunities that he has had to do in ‘World Skills’. The fact is he is now in a position to help the likes of Martins to put his entry in to the competition.
Above is 2nd from left Mitch Scott and 3rd from left our council member Cameron Pinder with his engineering ambassador award.
Louise on the far right is the owner of Greyhound Box Co. Those of you who attended the excellent M.A. Ford visit will remember that Louise has offered the association a visit around her company, many thanks….
Finally, the ladies were extremely well represented. Freya Wissett who is having her internship at Sulzer Pumps was awarded a prize. She is one of my former students from Leeds City College and now in her first year welding and The Leeds Welding Company. Richard at LWC told Jill and I that Kiera Barras was their first female apprentice
One final thing I overheard was that one company may only retain 2 out of 6 apprentices in one year, which may say something about the way engineering goes. We now have a 2-year apprenticeship and if that goes well some may do an advanced apprenticeship being a total of 4 years. The government are pressing ‘T levels’. Eventually they will realise that they are missing the trick and the old EITB type apprenticeship works for average young people who shouldn’t be stopping on for ‘A’ levels and university to end up with a massive debt. We need engineers who can use their hands to make things. Artificial intelligence might be able to detect a sharp edge but can’t de-burr it.
I am looking forward to the next session of events commencing in September when we have Sulzer pumps, MPM and CMB to visit. We are just waiting for final confirmation from Sulzer as to whether the visit will be in September or October.”
John Aldersley – President – Leeds Association of Engineers – June 2025.
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