Lancashire lights the way for apprenticeships

'Lancashire County Council's Matthew Southworth, winner of the 2007 APSE Highways and Street Lighting Apprentice of the Year with Councillor John Kerr Brown , APSE National Chair and Councillor David McGrouther, Chair of APSE's Highways Advisory Group'

Over a hundred and thirty delegates gathered at APSE's National Highways and Street Lighting Seminar to witness Lancashire's Matthew Southworth lifting the Highways and Street Lighting Apprentice of the Year winners trophy. Judges viewed Matthew's personal commitment to his training to be outstanding though it was a close contest with excellent submissions from four other finalists who were Khaleel Mohammed of Kirklees, Michael Glasgow from Midlothian, Ian Politt of Tameside and David Gray of Falkirk.

APSE Chief Executive Paul O'Brien in announcing the finalists and winner said "Not only are the apprentices to be congratulated for their progress, in entering into successful apprenticeships, but also the Councils that have shown the public sector to be thoroughly committed to local employment and skilling their workforce." Adding "With many of our local authorities seeing shortages in skills such as street lighting, highways maintenace, paviors and other trades it is essential that all councils learn the lessons and grow their own future workforce".

The Highways Seminar is renowned throughout local government as the national debating forum for key issues that affect local authority maintained roads, public highways and street lighting. Delegates took part in a range of debates looking at whether or not dimming street lights would help to reduce the local authorities carbon footprint and importantly the lack off effective regulation of utilities companies in providing effective response times to the public sector where services are interrupted. To view presentations from the seminar click here.

Falkirk Apprentice Finalist David Gray with Councillor John Kerr Brown and Councillor David McGrouther	Midlothian Apprentice Finalist Michael Glasgow with Councillor John Kerr Brown and Councillor David McGrouther
Tameside Apprentice Finalist Ian Pollitt with Councillor John Kerr Brown and Councillor David McGrouther	Kirklees Apprentice Finalist Khaleel Mohammed, with Councillor John Kerr Brown and Councillor David McGrouther