SPARKS Apprentice Competition Is Back – and Bigger Than Ever!

Good luck to SERC’s own Electrical Installation - Apprenticeship NI (Level 3) students Jack McBride (SERC Lisburn Campus), David McWhirter (SERC Newtownards Campus) and Conal McCrissican (SERC Downpatrick Campus) who will be taking part in the competition at Belfast Met on the 12th of March 2020! 

SPARKS Magazine is on the lookout for the UK’s best electrical apprentice.  

The SPARKS Apprentice of the Year competition returns in 2020, giving electrical students and apprentices the chance to show off their skills and win incredible prizes. 

Now in its 11th year, the event is a fantastic opportunity for trainee electricians to kick-start their career, experience the thrill of a live competition and make new connections along the way. 

Regional heats take place between January and April at colleges in eight regions – the South West, South East, North West, North East, Midlands, Wales, Northern Ireland and, for the first time, Scotland. 

The winner of each heat with go on to compete at the grand final, which will take place in April at Schneider Electric’s impressive Innovation Hub in Coventry. 

Level 2 and 3 students (Level 6 and 7 in Scotland) are invited to enter the competition, during which they will be judged on a number of practical tasks by a panel of industry experts. 

Ben Kidner, of Bridgwater & Taunton College, was the 2019 winner. The third-year apprentice qualified for the final as the best runner-up but the self-confessed underdog impressed the judges and did enough to win the overall competition. 

His advice to those thinking of entering this year? “Definitely take it up, it’s a big confidence booster and I’ve seen the results. I’ve seen the improvements since day one, especially with the extra hours you do practising.” 

As well as the prestige that comes with winning a national competition, there are prizes worth up to £10,000 up for grabs from sponsors Schneider Electric, Electric Center, Wago, Connexbox, the IET and DeWalt. 

The popular Meet the Lecturer/Manufacturer series also returns in January. Running alongside the Apprentice of the Year competition, it gives manufacturers the chance to showcase their products and update lecturers on the latest developments in the industry.  

Celia Matthews, Managing Director of SPARKS Magazine, said: “We can’t wait to meet the next generation of SPARKS Apprentice of the Year contestants. The quality of the competition has improved every year and there’s no reason to think 2020 will be any different.” 

Sean Miller, Electrician Channel Manager at Schneider Electric, the Apprentice of the Year competition’s Platinum sponsor, said: “We are proud to be helping the electricians of tomorrow as they start out on their journey. It’s always great to see the apprentices working with our products throughout the regional heats and the final, as the standard of work is very high.” 

For more information, head to www.sparks-magazine.co.uk/events.