3rd December 2019
Four apprentices from Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) were recognised at IAE’s annual Apprenticeship Awards event.

Family run business, IAE is the UK's leading manufacturer of livestock handling equipment, equestrian stabling, steel fencing and shelters, employing over 500 people, with an annual turnover in excess of £50million. This year the company is also celebrating its 50th anniversary, with apprenticeship provision and development very much at the heart of its long-term plans. Its annual apprenticeship awards aim to highlight the integral part apprenticeships play within the organisation.
Ian Mycock, Associate Production Director at IAE said: “We originally started the IAE Apprentice Awards three years ago when we only had a small team of four apprentices, as a way of congratulating the apprentices on their hard work during their programme. Today we have over 25 apprentices site-wide and are now able to offer awards to those who recently joined as apprentices our ‘rising stars’ and also those who have been in employment within the company.”
He added: “This wouldn’t have been possible without the help of NSCG for supplying us with a great team of apprentices. Our long-term goal is to grow our number of apprentices employed within IAE and support them to progress through the company to become the team leaders, supervisors or even managers. We want to develop our apprenticeship scheme at IAE and offer exceptional training to apprentices that we believe are key to the future success of the business.”
In total four NSCG Apprentices were presented awards at the event in the following categories:
- Rising Star Award: Kieran Underwood, Business Administration Apprentice
- Year 1 Apprentice of the Year: Harry Goldstraw – PMO Apprentice
- Year 2 Apprentice of the Year: Jack Griffiths – Business Administration Apprentice
- Year 3/4 Apprentice of the Year: Frazer Roberts - PEO Apprentice
Performance Maintenance Operations (PMO) apprentice, Harry Goldstraw was one of the award winners and IAE Cheadle Manager, Gary Holden said this of the young apprentice: “Harry has always shown a positive attitude and enthusiasm for what he is doing and is always ready and willing to take on new tasks. A valued member of the team he has now taken on more responsibility and although Harry struggles with dyslexia he has shown a real positive attitude to his work, achieving his Level 2 English and maths functional skills. He is an apprentice who is performing above and beyond what is expected of him.”
Also, recognised at the annual awards event was Performing Engineering Operations (PEO) Apprentice Frazer Roberts, who is currently in the fourth year of his apprenticeship and is already making a big impression.
IAE Supervisor Lee Mellor said: “Frazer completes all his daily duties to an exceptional standard and never lets standards drop, he now has a comprehensive knowledge of all IAE programmes and machinery. Frazer sets the standards for all the apprentices to follow - and I think he will have a big future at IAE.”
NSCG is an Ofsted Outstanding further education provider, and ranked joint second nationally in the NICDEX league tables which measure student progression and employer satisfaction. Apprenticeship achievement rates are more than 11% above the national average, placing NSCG as the leading college provider in the region.
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