Apprentices' hard work rewarded at QinetiQ graduation ceremony
Above: The QinetiQ apprentices at their graduation ceremony.
The event brought together graduating apprentices from Boscombe Down, Farnborough, Malvern, Shoeburyness and the Hebrides to celebrate successes across a range of disciplines, including Aeronautical Engineering, Information Technology and Engineering Maintenance.
The achievers were addressed by guest of honour Jonathan Lyle, Chief Executive Officer at DSTL and then presented with their trophies by Jonathan and Steve Wadey, QinetiQ CEO.
A memorial presentation was held in memory of Carl MacPhee, a QinetiQ student who was tragically killed in a traffic collision last year in the Hebrides after completing his apprenticeship.
Thomas Deane received the CEO Award, presented to the apprentice who stands out as having truly excelled during their Advanced Level Apprenticeship.
Above: Thomas Deane receives his award from QinetiQ CEO Steve Wadey.
A panel of QinetiQ’s senior leaders agreed that Thomas demonstrated outstanding professional ability, a mature attitude and a willingness to do the job. He received praise for his dedication, his quality of work, and his performance as an ambassador for QinetiQ at the WorldSkills UK 2014 competition, for which he received an award from Semta.
Ian Beresford, Director of Capability at QinetiQ, said: “We are very proud of all our graduates, for whom four years of hard work have today paid off. They are beginning their careers equipped with valuable skills and experience that are in high demand among employers, and crucial for the UK’s economy.
“QinetiQ is built on the expertise of its people, so recruiting and retaining the best young talent is fundamental to our continuing success. This philosophy is shared by the 86 companies who, by joining The 5% Club, have committed to ensuring 5% of their workforce are apprentices, sponsored students, and graduates on formal programmes.”
The QinetiQ Apprentice Training School (QATS) was established over 45 years ago and trains students to achieve an Advanced Level Apprenticeship in Engineering. The school boasts a completion rate of 94.1%, compared to the national average of 75%.
