Jindara Scott, a 22-year-old apprentice electrician from Lisburn, and Ethan Wynn, an apprentice gas engineer from Buxton, were both ‘highly commended’ at the national final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2024, held in May.
With an incredibly high standard of finalists in this year’s competition, for the first time, the judges decided to award two highly commended honours – in recognition of Jindara and Ethan’s hard work and dedication to their trade.
During the two-day event which took place in London, UK, Ethan and Jindara presented to an esteemed panel of industry judges, including representatives from Screwfix, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Jindara’s drive and ambition to improve standards and workplace culture in the industry made her stand out. Jindara wants to encourage others to follow her footsteps into a trade career and, in the future, would love to give opportunities to other young apprentices.
She said: “I love the variety that comes with being an electrician, and the ability to make a real difference to people’s homes and businesses. After all, if we didn’t have electricians, we would all be in darkness!
“I was in complete shock when they presented the highly commended award to me at the final. I now want to use my platform to work with vulnerable kids from diverse backgrounds like my own and give them opportunities to enter the industry. Eventually I would like to have my own company where I would aim to foster the right culture that includes vital values such as inclusivity, positivity, and encouragement.”
Meanwhile, Ethan shone throughout the final with his dedication to learning about his chosen trade and how he had overcome personal challenges to pursue his passion for plumbing and heating. Representing apprentice gas engineers working in rural locations, he clearly articulated the challenges facing areas such as Buxton when it comes to deploying renewable solutions for a more sustainable future.
Ethan’s innovative approach to the pre-final task, in which he was asked to design a tool that would make a tradesperson’s life easier, saw him create a 3D printed prototype of a ‘Cut and Clean Pipe Slice’ invention, which impressed the judges.
He said: “To reach the final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice was a great achievement, but to be awarded Highly Commended made it especially memorable. I’m immensely proud of my achievements, and to have had the opportunity to represent the hard work and dedication of all trade apprentices. I absolutely love my job and, in the future, want to help others looking to build a career in the plumbing and heating sector.”
During the two-day national final, which took place in London, UK, Jindara and Ethan presented to an esteemed panel of industry judges, including representatives from Screwfix, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Simon O’Mahony, Director of Marketing Communications for Screwfix, presented the highly commended awards to Jindara and Ethan, who will also receive a prize bundle worth £1,000. He said: “We are now in the tenth year of Screwfix Trade Apprentice, an important award that recognises the very best trade apprentices in the UK. This year more than ever, the calibre of entries was particularly high. Every one of our finalists is a credit to their trade and the future of the industry.
“All the judges believed that Jindara and Ethan were worthy of recognition. Their personalities, approach to learning and desire to encourage others, as well as their technical skills, made them stand out finalists. Both demonstrated a genuine curiosity for their respective trades and were fantastic representatives for trade apprentices. We continue to need to address the skills gap across the construction industry and supporting new talent such as Ethan and Jindara will be key to achieving this.”
The winner of Screwfix Trade Apprentice was Matthew Rutherford, a 19-year-old apprentice carpenter from Bangor, County Down who is currently employed by Laird Contracts Ltd. Matthew walked away with the coveted trophy and a career-boosting prize bundle of tools, tech and training worth £10,000.
Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2024 received 1,800 entries this year. To find out more about the award, click here
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