Apprentices gear up for the finals of this year’s Apprentice Automation Challenge

25 September 2025 will see the finals of the Institution’s Apprentice Automation Challenge, where some of the brightest young engineering apprentices from across the UK will showcase their innovation, teamwork, and technical skills.

Now in its eleventh year, the Apprentice Automation Challenge invites apprentice engineers in industry and academia to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype device that automates a common product or process

The competition gives participants the chance to apply their engineering knowledge, practical expertise, and creativity to a project that mirrors the challenges faced in industry. Alongside the Institution’s other student engineering competitions, the Challenge is a cornerstone of the IMechE’s mission to develop and inspire the next generation of engineers.

Returning to the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, the finals event will see apprentices showcase their prototype devices to a panel of judges, drawn from committee members and senior engineers across the manufacturing industry. Formal presentation events will allow apprentices to justify their engineering decision making and demonstrate how they have developed and built their devices from their initial designs.

“The Apprentice Automation Challenge remains a highlight of my year and it’s great to see the enthusiasm of the next generation of engineers,” said Toby Heagerty, Head Judge. “With more teams taking part this year, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what the teams bring to the finals. On behalf of the committee, I would like to wish the best of luck to everyone taking part.”

The apprentice engineers will be joined by IMechE president Matt Garside on the day, alongside other senior engineers, the organisations taking part are as follows:

• PourTech Pro, Leonardo UK
• Seven Seeds, Leonardo UK
• Elevation Nation, Niftylift
• SWIFT, Leonardo UK
• The Green Machine Makers, Leonardo UK
• Horizon Dynamics, Leonardo UK
• Heimdoor (Luton Team 4), Leonardo UK
• PushPal, Leonardo UK
• Six Dwarves, Leonardo UK
• Team Automation 1, Ricoh UK Products Ltd
• Team Automation 2, Ricoh UK Products Ltd
• Starstruck, Thales
• ITP Aero Year 3 Engineers, ITP Aero UK
• Babcock Land Sector, Babcock International Group
• Weapon Systems UK, BAE Systems
• Straight To The Point, Thales
• Mech Me Up Before You Go Go, Thales
• The Pill Pioneers, Leonardo UK

The results of the competition will be available on the Apprentice Automation Challenge website and social media channels.