Apprentice wins for William Cook Group

Cullan Chalmers and Shivan Morkar have been singled out by prestigious industry organisations for their efforts.

William Cook owns defence, rail and industrial engineering facilities which are unique in Britain, and recently completed a £23m investment programme at its Sheffield, Leeds and Stanhope sites.

These combine the latest 3D printing, machining and investment casting technology to allow the rapid manufacture of complex components of unprecedented size and accuracy.  

The sixth-generation family-owned business recently welcomed the largest intake of apprentices in living memory as part of its investment in the future.

The Institute of Cast Metals Engineers chose Mr Chalmers, 23, from Leeds, as winner of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers’ Best Student Award.

He said: “It is nice to be recognised and rewarded for the hard work that I have put in to my apprenticeship. I am very proud.

“The simple fact is I learn something new every day and every day is different. It is also a bonus that I get paid while I learn.”

The University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre named Mr Morkar, 21, from Bradford, as one of three finalists for the Academic Achiever of the Year Award. 

He said: “I wanted a more hands-on approach to education; this gives me a good mix of practical as well as academic learning. 

“I have an opportunity to earn while I learn and I will not end up with a debt or a large student loan.

“This is giving me a very good start to my career and is the perfect platform for going on to higher level qualifications.

“I aim to progress through a managerial route taking all necessary steps to achieve as much as I can." 

Barry Swift, Plant Manager at William Cook’s Leeds site, is responsible for the group’s apprenticeship and training programme.

He said: “We are proud of all our apprentices as they represent the next generation of industry talent. 

“They are bringing new ideas and a willingness to learn and are making a positive impact on our group.

“We are particularly proud of Cullan and Shivan for their industry recognition and are delighted with their progress to date.

“On the face of it, working in specialist engineering might not appeal to many young people today but once they get in and see what is possible, they realise they can go far.

“Our apprentices are working with a highly skilled team of engineers on a variety of exciting and challenging projects.”

William Cook manufactures sophisticated components, assemblies and systems for a wide range of applications in the defence, rail and industrial engineering sectors.

The group has substantial research, development and design resources and includes global energy, transport and defence groups among its clients.

It is a partner in the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, a collaboration between world-leading industrial groups.