Defence

Apprentices prepare for Tom Nevard Memorial Competition

Posted 30 July 2024

This year’s annual Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Tom Nevard Memorial Competition (TNMC) - a week-long designing and manufacturing competition for apprentices - is to take place from Sunday 4th to Friday 9th August at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham.

Courtesy DE&S

Involving more apprentices than ever before, the Tom Nevard Memorial Competition is a week-long competition which tests the craftmanship and creativity of apprentices within the Ministry of Defence (MoD). It challenges teams of apprentices to design and build defence-related products, encouraging team working and developing core competencies, while cultivating engineering flair and ability.

The Tom Nevard Memorial Competition will bring together apprentices from across the MoD, including the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA), Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA).

The Tom Nevard Memorial Competition was first held in 1952, in memory of the assistant secretary of the Labour Branch of the Ministry of Supply to test the craftsmanship of apprentices. Initially held in Glasgow, it moved to the Defence Academy in 2014 where it has become an annual event, delivered as a joint MoD/contractor initiative.

This experience is available to all apprentices on a DE&S Entry Talent Centre of Expertise scheme, including Corporate Services Group, Engineering, Finance and Accounting, Project Delivery and more.

Image courtesy Defence Academy / MoD

The competition is open to civilian craft and technician engineering apprentices from anywhere in the MoD.

The Tom Nevard Memorial competition began in 1952 as a memorial to Mr Tom Nevard who was an Assistant Secretary in the Labour Branch of the Ministry of Supply. The original purpose of the event was to test the craftsmanship of the apprentices. However, while individual tests of craftsmanship still exist, the changes to MoD Apprenticeships mean the emphasis is now very much on the challenge to build and design defence-related products, to cultivate engineering flair and ability, to encourage team working and develop core competences.

The competition attracts significant interest at the highest level with awards for the winners being presented at an annual ceremony often in London in the presence of Royalty and/or Ministers.