Engineering news
Steve Green, senior prototype engineer at Lockheed Martin’s Ampthill site, Bedfordshire, has been awarded technician of the year by skills council Semta.
Semta said the 54-year-old regularly takes on seconded apprentices and has a strong professional and personal commitment to the young people he works with, spending a significant amount of time supporting them and sharing his extensive knowledge and experience.
Mark Lawson, head of Engineering Technical Facilities at Lockheed Martin said: "Steve's impact is massive. He is involved in just about every research and development programme we do on site – he goes way beyond being a technician, involved in designing and putting real world engineering into all of our products at an early stage.
"He just epitomises the drive and success within the company. He doesn't just do it in this one year but in every year he has worked for me. I cannot put a price on what he brings to our business.
"The company's prototyping, research work and bid activities have all benefited from an input from Steve at some point, and the business would be a poorer place without him."
Ann Watson, chief executive of Semta, said: "Steve is a shining example of someone with a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience which he uses not only in his role but also across the wider company.
"He demonstrates a real passion for the role of technician, passing his knowledge with enthusiasm to the next generation. He is very well deserving of the Semta Skills Award.
"The award sponsor, EngTechNow, is also playing a critical role in skilling the workforce. Engineering technicians are invaluable across most industry sectors and there is a real need to help spur growth in the numbers of professionally registered engineering technicians to ensure the high standards necessary to meet future demand.
The Semta Skills award received hundreds of nominations and were held this month in London, with 27 finalists.