Ethan Wynn, a 21-year-old apprentice gas engineer from Buxton, was ‘highly commended’ at the national final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice 2024 this month.
The judges decided to award two highly commended honours to Ethan and Jindara Scott, an apprentice electrician from Lisburn.
According to a statement, Ethan “shone” throughout the final with his ambition to learning about his chosen trade and how he had overcome personal challenges to pursue his passion for plumbing and heating. The statement reflected that he clearly articulated the challenges facing areas such as Buxton when it comes to deploying renewable solutions for a more sustainable future.
Ethan’s approach to the pre-final task, in which he was asked to design a tool that would make a tradesperson’s life easier, saw him create a 3D printed prototype of a ‘Cut and Clean Pipe Slice’ invention.
Ethan said: “To reach the final of Screwfix Trade Apprentice was a great achievement, but to be awarded Highly Commended made it especially memorable. I’m immensely proud of my achievements, and to have had the opportunity to represent the hard work and dedication of all trade apprentices.
“I absolutely love my job and, in the future, want to help others looking to build a career in the plumbing and heating sector.”
During the two-day national final, which took place in London, Ethan presented to a panel of industry judges, including representatives from Screwfix, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Simon O’Mahony, director of marketing communications for Screwfix, presented the highly commended awards to Ethan and Jindara, who will also receive a prize bundle worth £1,000.
Simon added: “We are now in the tenth year of Screwfix Trade Apprentice, an important award that recognises the very best trade apprentices in the UK. This year more than ever, the calibre of entries was particularly high. Every one of our finalists is a credit to their trade and the future of the industry.
“All the judges believed that Ethan and Jindara were worthy of recognition. Their personalities, approach to learning and desire to encourage others, as well as their technical skills, made them stand out finalists.
“Both demonstrated a genuine curiosity for their respective trades and were fantastic representatives for trade apprentices. We continue to need to address the skills gap across the construction industry and supporting new talent such as Ethan and Jindara will be key to achieving this.”
The winner of Screwfix Trade Apprentice was Matthew Rutherford, a 19-year-old apprentice carpenter from Bangor, County Down who is currently employed by Laird Contracts. Matthew walked away with the trophy and a prize bundle of tools, tech and training worth £10,000.