Published on: 4 December 2019
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust apprentice Tom Bennett is celebrating double award success.
Tom, who is now a qualified multi-craft mechanical engineer, was named national Apprentice of the Year at the IHEEM (Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estates Management Association) awards. This followed on from him winning the 4th year Apprentice of the Year title at the Northern and Yorkshire NHS Assessment Centre’s regional NHS estates apprenticeship presentation evening.
Tom, 20, of Jarrow, who is based at South Tyneside District Hospital, said: “I didn’t think that I stood a chance of winning a trophy so to win two was amazing. My whole family was very happy for me and it made me feel proud when everyone was congratulating me.”
He added: “I really enjoyed my apprenticeship; the training I was given was fantastic and my managers and the other apprentices were all very supportive. I was very pleased when I was given a job at the end of it and now I’m looking forward to climbing the career ladder with the Trust.”
The judges were unanimous in naming Tom as Apprentice of the Year at the IHEEM awards ceremony in Manchester. They said he very clearly explained how the apprenticeship had shaped him as a person and driven his career so far.
They added: “His passion for the role and his future aspirations were standout credentials. He totally understood the benefits of apprenticeships, both to him and to the Trust’s business objectives. His thoughts about how he could mentor and encourage others who followed him were inspiring and he is a credit to his employer.”
Steve Jamieson, Director of Estates and Facilities for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are very proud of our apprentices who contribute so much to the work of the NHS by maintaining our buildings and ensuring they are safe for patients, staff and visitors. Tom is a fine example of what they can achieve and I look forward to seeing his career with us progress.”
To find out more about apprenticeships with South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust in a wide range of areas, including healthcare, administration, IT, accountancy and pharmacy, as well as estates, go to: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/services/apprenticeships
