The UK’s most promising apprentices and trainees in the construction plant sector have been announced at the Construction Plant-hire Association’s (CPA) Stars of the Future Awards 2023.
Just under 100 nominations were received for the CPA Stars of the Future Awards 2023 – an increase of more than 30% on the previous highest ever total. The awards scheme has been running for over 10 years and identifies some of the industry’s brightest up-and-coming talent.
Almost 350 people attended the awards ceremony which was hosted at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley, near Coventry, by former TV newsreader, presenter and journalist Merryn Myatt. The 11 CPA and industry judges involved described the competition this year as the ‘most fiercely contested’ awards yet, after the record number of entries. Due to the very high quality of nominations, additional sub-categories and special awards were subsequently introduced to recognise the exceptional talent and commitment of the nominees.
The CPA is the leading trade association for the construction plant sector in the UK, with over 1,900 members who supply 85% of hired plant to the construction industry. The awards ceremony was held in association with event sponsors CRJ Services, Flannery Plant Hire, GAP Group, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage and Sunbelt Rentals, and award sponsors ACOP Group, Liebherr, M O’Brien Plant Hire, NOCN Group, Plant Planet, Southern Hoist Services, Tower Staff Construction and Wolffkran.
On the day, the winners of each national category were as follows:
- John Murray of John Maciver & Sons and National Construction College Scotland
- Teah Stapleton of Kilnbridge Construction Services
Stars of the Future was originally introduced to recognise outstanding Apprentice Plant Mechanics and Plant Technicians, but the scope of the event has been extended in recent years to reward further job roles in the construction plant sector and recognise new apprenticeships. Nationally, approximately 900 apprentices span the main plant-based occupations and the2023 awards saw the introduction of two new awards categories at Stars of the Future – Young Plant Operative of the Year and Apprentice Mentor of the Year.
Stu McInroy, Chief Executive of the CPA said: “Having joined the CPA only recently, this was my first experience of Stars of the Future and it was a wonderful experience of excellence. Award winners received some fabulous prizes, including tool kits, training courses, iPads and an overseas trip to visit a Liebherr crane manufacturing plant in Germany, and we would like to congratulate all nominees and winners.
“I should like to thank all our sponsors, without whom we simply could not stage such an event or reward our award winners so handsomely, and of course each of our 11 judges for the time they have taken sifting and assessing the nominations and selecting the winners.”
At the awards ceremony, Stu also made special mention of Kevin Minton, who has recently retired as Chief Executive of the CPA. Kevin originally introduced and developed the concept of a Stars of the Future awards programme to give apprentices and trainees the recognition they deserve and identify those who will be the industry leaders of tomorrow. Within 10 years, Stars of the Future has grown from being a somewhat low-key event (held in a muddy field during one of the plant shows) for college-nominated Plant Mechanics into being the stand-alone national premier awards event that encompasses all of the plant-based apprenticeships and other occupations.
This year, Stars of the Future had a two-tier judging process – the CPA selection panel and a panel of external judges who decided the eventual winners of each category. The external judging panel included Arran Willis of Liebherr-GB, Siôn Morgan Jones of ACOP Group, Kirsty Archbold-Laming of Southern Hoist Services, Leigh Sparrow of Vertikal Press, Graham Black of Earthmovers Magazine, Tim Brownbridge of BAM Nuttall and independent judge Rob Allen.
The complete list of Stars of the Future 2023 category winners and those who were highly commended is as follows:
Plant Mechanic of the Year – North
Morgan Wardle, Banks Plant Solutions, Askham Bryan College – Winner
Reece Chapman, Vp Brandon Hire Station, Myerscough College – Highly Commended
Sam Malone, David Donger Plant Engineering Services, Askham Bryan College – Highly Commended
Plant Mechanic of the Year – Midlands
Owen Van Greuning, Marubeni-Komatsu, NSCG Stafford College – Winner
Taylor Gourlay, Clee Hill Plant, NSCG Stafford College – Highly Commended
Outeman Bouchekouf, Sir Robert McAlpine, National Construction College East – Highly Commended
Plant Mechanic of the Year – South
Harry Totman, Liebherr-GB, NSCG Stafford College – Winner
Jose Claudio Santos Barros, Synergy Hire, National Construction College East – Highly Commended
Shannon Bristow, Speedy Services, Askham Bryan College – Highly Commended
Plant Mechanic of the Year – Scotland
John Murray, John Maciver & Sons, National Construction College Scotland – Winner
Paul Hunter, Garriock Brothers, National Construction College Scotland – Highly Commended
Andrew Manson, A&D Sutherland, National Construction College Scotland – Highly Commended
Plant Mechanic of the Year – Wales
Liam Burton, Phoenix Hire & Sales, Bridgend College – Winner
Samuel Davies, Flannery Plant Hire, Bridgend College – Highly Commended
National Plant Mechanic of the Year
John Murray, John Maciver & Sons, National Construction College Scotland – Winner
Harry Totman, Liebherr-GB, NSCG Stafford College – Highly Commended
Plant Technician of the Year – North
Bradley Baker, GGR Group, The Growth Company – Winner
Leon Catterall, CRJ Services, Reaseheath College – Highly Commended
Will Grice, Bachy Soletanche, Reaseheath College – Highly Commended
Plant Technician of the Year – Midlands
Jake Clark, Chris Clark Plant Services, NSCG Stafford College – Winner
Henry Dutton, Marubeni-Komatsu, NSCG Stafford College – Highly Commended
Plant Technician of the Year – South
Ciaran McHugh, Greenshields JCB, Reaseheath College – Winner
Dominic Hunt, Volspec, Reaseheath College – Highly Commended
Jai Steward, Prior Power Solutions, Reaseheath College – Highly Commended
Plant Technician of the Year – Scotland
Fraser McQueen, Marubeni-Komatsu, NSCG Stafford College – Winner
Ryan Mackie, Nationwide Platforms, National Construction College Scotland – Highly Commended
Plant Technician of the Year – Wales
Glen Gould, Envolve Infrastructure, Bridgend College – Winner
Jack Howell, Marubeni-Komatsu, NSCG Stafford College – Highly Commended
National Plant Technician of the Year
Bradley Baker, GGR Group, The Growth Company – Winner
Ciaran McHugh, Greenshields JCB, Reaseheath College – Highly Commended
Jake Clark, Chris Clark Plant Services, NSCG Stafford College – Highly Commended
Hire Controller of the Year
Teah Stapleton, Kilnbridge Construction Services – Winner
Chelsea Croom, Sunbelt Rentals – Highly Commended
Young Plant Operative of the Year
Chloe Jones, Flannery Plant Hire – Winner
Harnoorpreet Singh Gill, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage – Winner
Plant Operative of the Year
Roksana Przybylska, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage – Winner
Jonny Allison, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage – Highly Commended
Plant Installer of the Year
Spencer Bond, Wolffkran – Winner
Lewis Greenall-Holloway, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage – Highly Commended
Lifting Technician of the Year
Lee Tanner, Wolffkran – Winner
Individual Apprentice Mentor of the Year
Dean Duru, Boels Rental – Winner
Group Apprentice Mentor of the Year
Gez Bonner, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage – Winner
College of the Year
Myerscough College – Winner
Askham Bryan College – Highly Commended
Best Personal Statement Award
Shannon Bristow, Speedy Services, Askham Bryan College – Winner
Award for Future International Development
Sebastian Asiedu, Vp MEP Hire, Myerscough College – Winner
Judges’ Special Award
Sean Palmer, Gorrel Equipment Solutions, Bridgend College – Winner
Harrison Yeoman, Boels Rental, Reaseheath College – Highly Commended
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