Joint Apprentice Award winners announced

We are delighted to announce that two young apprentices working at furniture manufacturers based in Lancashire have been named joint winners of our first ever Apprentice Award.

Jade Ansell, who works at Silentnight Beds in Barnoldswick, and Liam Field, who is employed by The Senator Group in Accrington,  fought off stiff competition from other apprentices, with seven shortlisted candidates attending a judging day at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London in June.

Jade works as a manufacturing apprentice at the bed manufacturer. She has recently completed an NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Furniture, Interiors and Wood Machining at Burnley College. She is soon going to begin a Level 3 Institute of Leadership and Management diploma.

Liam, who is also studying at Burnley College for a Higher National Certificate in Furniture Design and Make, is a CNC technician at The Senator Group, an international office furniture manufacturer.

The Apprentice Award recognises the efforts and career progression of apprentices working in the furnishing industry and is open to anyone studying and working towards a retail, manufacture or service apprenticeship at a UK furnishing company.

The winners will officially be presented with the award at the Company’s annual Royal Charter Dinner on Thursday 26 October 2017 at the Hall of the Honourable Artillery Company, London.

Paul von der Heyde, chairman of the Manufacturing Guild Mark, said:  “On behalf of The Furniture Makers’ Company, I would like to congratulate Jade and Liam for their outstanding progress to date. All of the candidates were of an extremely high quality. It’s fantastic to meet a group of such committed young people who are working hard and seeing the results of their work pay off.

“With the Level 2 Furniture Manufacturer Apprenticeship Standard given ministerial approval last year and the new Apprenticeship Levy now in force, there has never been a better time for a company to invest in an apprenticeship programme.”