Two Suffolk New College apprentices have just won construction-based regional skills competitions.
The learners will now go tool kit to tool kit against other regional winners with the aim of being crowned the best apprentices in the country.
Zack Bloomfield, 20, from Felixstowe, works for A R Electrical and the trainee electrician came first place in the Midland regional Sparks competition.
(SPARKS is an annual contest giving students a skills challenge against other apprentices with the aim of finding the best apprentice electrician in the country).
Zach travelled to Corby earlier this month and came out on top against nine other competitors during a four-hour installation.
He will now go to Birmingham on 2 April 2025 where he will be hoping to beat five other apprentices during a two-day challenge that will be held at the JTL Training Centre.
(In previous years Suffolk New College learner Jane Thorp won the first ever female SPARKS competition and came second in the national finals last year).
Zack’s tutor – Lawrence Metcalfe – chose Zack as he always felt he had the potential to do well. Lawrence said: “He is a great student and I’m proud of his efforts. He has every chance of winning if he shows focus. As a college we have done incredibly well in previous years (at SPARKS) and we hope to be able to host a final in the future, right here in Suffolk.”
Zack said: “I went in, cracked on and came out on top. It was a nice feeling to win.”
He received some books, tools and a radio for winning his heat.
In terms of the final, Zack added: “I’m hoping to go in there, do what I did in the regionals and win. It would be a great achievement.”
Luke Warren, 21 from Ipswich is studying on a level 3 plumbing apprenticeship and he works for the Daly Group Ltd.
Luke also travelled to Corby and he took part in a competition called HIP (Heating Industry Plumbing) learner of the year regional heat.
The one day event took place over five and a half hours and Luke beat nine other contestants to win his heat.
Luke said: “I felt confident going into it and it was fun. I was happy. I was allowed some headphones and that helped me relax. I listened to The Kooks. Winning has given me great recognition.”
Now Luke is off to Staffordshire at the end of March to compete in the national finals and he said: “I hope to win it.” Luke’s tutor Owen Breadman said: “Luke did everything pretty much perfectly. It was brilliant for Luke to win this. He is one of the top students in the country. It makes me feel very proud. He has a good chance of doing well in the finals.”