Andrea Clarke, aged 19, is a business manufacturing apprentice at DENSO Manufacturing in Telford.
Andrea, who was named Apprentice of the Year 2021 at the college’s end-of-year virtual ceremony and also won a Rising Star award at the same event, said: “An apprenticeship is a good path in terms of developing both your learning and future career in various industries.
“I have really enjoyed being able to learn on-the-job job as I have gained a lot of new experience in the manufacturing industry. On my placement in Total Industrial Engineering (TIE) at DENSO I have been given a lot of training on key tools and skills that the department uses to complete day to day tasks and have then been able to apply the training to various projects where I am able to confirm my understanding.
“I believe that on-the-job training is an effective way to learn and develop because not only do you improve your knowledge, but you are able to develop various soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork and interpersonal skills as you are working in a professional environment with people at all levels.
“I am very grateful to have been chosen as Apprentice of the Year 2021, and would like to thank both my assessors at the college and my mentors and managers at DENSO for all the support they have provided me with so far.
“My apprenticeship experience has been very positive and enjoyable because of the training and commitment DENSO has shown me, and the positive working environment I am in, and has made me motivated in my studies and placement.”
