Apprentices at Luton aerospace firm strike gold at national awards ceremony

The Make UK National Manufacturing Awards ceremony was held virtually with apprentices from aerospace engineering company Leonardo picking up awards.

Ella Legg was the winner of the Final Year Business Apprentice Award, while Jack Hempsall was highly commended in the Final Year Engineering Apprentice Award.

Miss Legg was described as "professional, organised and highly motivated" and she was given the award for her commitment to Leonardo as well as the local community in Luton.

Since starting on her apprenticeship, Miss Legg has encouraged young people to study STEM-based subjects through her air cadets group and her programmes with local schools.

She has also represented the company at several high profile events, including a special STEM event at the Houses of Parliament, where she spoke to MPs about her experiences on her apprenticeship.

Mr Hempsall has earned "consistently positive praise" in each of his apprenticeship placements at Leonardo and he received his award for his contribution to developing Leonardo’s future technologies.

Mr Hempsall works within the trials and demonstrations team and has been involved with developing and testing products for international customers. He has also shown inspirational leadership in Leonardo’s schools STEM outreach programmes, where he has delivered dynamic educational initiatives highlighting the benefits of careers in engineering to both students and their parents.

Leonardo holds a Gold Standard award from 'Investors in Young People' due to the quality of its graduate and apprenticeship programmes. It has had a presence in Luton since 2003 and employs around 1,000 people.

Another Luton-based company, Jaltek Systems Limited, was runner-up in the Make UK Business Growth & Strategy Award. The company provides electronics systems for clients in a range of sectors including aerospace, defense, energy and security, as well as physiological monitoring devices is based in Luton. It has been designing and manufacturing products for over 30 years, employing nearly 100 people.

The judges were impressed with the clarity of the company’s primary growth strategy; supporting small disruptive businesses alongside established companies and they showed positive collaboration with Universities. The growth and financial outcomes were impressive.

During the pandemic Jaltek helped a client bring to market a monitoring device which ensures safe distancing and also records contact with others so that if a person becomes infected others who have been in close contact can be traced.

Charlotte Horobin, midlands region director for Make UK, said: “These awards are a testament to the dynamic companies and individuals working within engineering and manufacturing. The sector has been at the heart of delivering during the crisis and as we re-build our economy there will be a bright future for companies and individuals that make the most of their talent.”