News

Twenty-four EDA awards, recognising outstanding achievement in education and training across the UK’s electrical wholesale sector, were presented at two glittering ceremonies recently. Twelve managers received EDA Investor in Training Awards at the Association’s Annual Dinner in front of over 550 guests at the InterContintental Hotel on London’s Park Lane on Thursday 9 March 2017.

High performing

The next day family, friends and colleagues gathered for a congratulatory lunch on the 34th floor of London’s iconic Shard to see twelve high-performing apprentices and employees collect EDA Learner Achievement Awards, as part of the EDA’s National Apprenticeship Week 2017 celebrations.

The winners, who travelled to London from across the UK, received their trophies from EDA President Simon Barkes, who said

“Business success depends on inspirational managers who can create the right environment for talent to flourish. Equally, their apprentices and employees need to recognise the opportunities on offer and work hard to achieve outstanding results.

“Education and training is a key pillar of the EDA’s work and it is a privilege to celebrate the positive difference that we can create for individuals, teams and businesses. Attracting new talent throughout the supply chain is essential and, for the first time since our EDA Learner Awards were launched 3 years ago, one of the apprentice winners comes from a manufacturer – Electrium Sales (A Siemens Company).”

Apprenticeships and Specialist Product Knowledge Programme

The EDA Investor in Training Awards acknowledge the support, commitment, and leadership of managers in one of two categories: apprenticeships, helping to attract new talent to the electrical wholesale sector, and the Specialist Product Knowledge Programme, a distance-learning initiative designed to improve employee skills and performance.

The EDA Learner Achievement Awards were presented to five apprentices, whose hard work and dedication to their training marked them out as rising stars in the sector, and to seven employees who have shown exemplary performance and dedication to their professional studies as part of EDA’s Product Knowledge Programme.

Career pathway

Margaret Fitzsimons, EDA Director, said

“The EDA is committed to developing a clear career pathway for the sector through a framework of life-long education and training.

“Our celebrations help us to raise the profile of career opportunities in the electrical wholesale sector and underline the investment that the sector is making in employee learning and development. Building talented teams is not easy, but our winners are a real credit to the sector and their businesses.”

2017 Roll of Honour

Winners of the Apprenticeship Manager Award are:

1. Lee Muskett, Profit Centre Manager, Edmundson Electrical, Rochdale
2. Lee Huddart, Profit Centre Manager, Electric Center, Bolton
3. Darrell Howells, Branch Manager, City Electrical Factors, Carmarthen
4. Howard Smith, Business Manager, Newey & Eyre, Spalding – part of Rexel UK
5. Kristian Van Rensburg, Manager, Stearn Electric Company Ltd, Glasgow

Winners of the Specialist Product Knowledge Programme Manager Awards are:

1. John Bristow, Branch Manager, Eyre & Elliston, West Wickham (a member of the ANEW buying group). John’s award was collected by Will Cannon, Managing Director, Eyre & Elliston Group
2. Mark Lambert, CEO, AWEBB buying group
3. Ruth Thornell, Facilities Manager, Templegate Electrical Supplies Ltd, Bristol (a member of the Fegime buying group)
4. Bradley Raphael, Profit Centre Manager, Edmundson Electrical, Rugby, Warwickshire
5. Rob Sheppard, Group Manager Torquay Group, City Electrical Factors
6. Andrew Allen, Business Manager, Newey & Eyre, Cambridge – part of Rexel UK
7. James Burke, Profit Centre Manager, ETS/Western Automation (UK Electric), Birmingham

EDA Learner Achievement Awards are presented to high performing apprentices, and to employees who have excelled in their studies on the EDA’s Specialist Product Knowledge Programme.

2017 Star Apprentices

1. Jean-Luc Daley, CRS Electrical Supplies, Clapham, London (a member of the AWEBB buying group)
2. Joshua Hayes, Electric Center, Warrington, Cheshire
3. Ben Dougal, WF Senate, Deeside – part of Rexel UK
4. Jack Jones, Newey & Eyre, Chesterfield, Derbyshire – part of Rexel UK
5. Alex Jaundrill, Electrium Sales (A Siemens Company), Cannock, Staffordshire

Specialist Product Knowledge Programme winners are:

1. Jonathan Acott, Eyre & Elliston, West Wickham, Greater London (a member of the ANEW buying group)
2. Mark Carter, Electracentre, Ilkeston, Derbyshire (AWEBB)
3. Bob Sayer, Internal Sales, Wilson Electrical Distributors, Didcot (a member of the Fegime buying group)
4. Ryan Fagan, Management Designate, Edmundson Electrical, Rugby, Warwickshire
5. Steven Hawkins, Stores Assistant, City Electrical Factors, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
6. Beth Thomas, Assistant Manager, Denmans Electrical Wholesalers, Bath – part of Rexel UK
7. Craig Smith, Commercial Trainee, Stearn Electric Company Ltd, Bristol