A highly-skilled Themis apprentice has proved he is the best in the North-West after earning victory in the prestigious annual SPARKS contest.
Zack Duxbury (17), an advanced apprentice with Avon Electrical Ltd in Burnley, triumphed over apprentice electricians from colleges and training institutions across the North-West at the regional contest which, once again, was held in the £100 million Burnley College Campus.
In the contest, the former Blessed Trinity RC College student was tasked with completing a complex wiring system within a strict timescale and was marked on the safety, accuracy and neatness of his work. He has now qualified for the national finals of the SPARKS contest which will be held in Bracknell this summer.
Zack, who combines valuable experience in the workplace with training and guidance at Themis at Burnley College from industry expert Kevin Ashton, is now receiving individual guidance and training from Kevin, who last year took talented Themis apprentice Electrician Kane Barker to the finals, too.
Zach said: “I’m really pleased to have made the finals: the SPARKS event is a great contest for Apprentice Electricians and winning the regional heat will definitely boost my CV. I’m looking forward to the finals, it will be a great experience and a great opportunity to test my skills against the very best in the country.”
David Lord, head of construction at Themis at Burnley College, said: “Congratulations to Zack on this great achievement – he is not only flying the flag for his employers, Avon Electrical Ltd, but Themis at Burnley College and the North-West. We are looking forward to seeing him compete in the SPARKS finals and wish him every success.
”Zack illustrates perfectly what is needed to be a Themis Apprentice and #futureboss: he is dedicated, he always strives to improve and is motivated to be the very best. These are the great qualities which have earned him success in the regional SPARKS contest and will serve him well when he takes on the best young Electricians in the UK.
“This is the second year running that we have had an apprentice electrician in the final of the HIP and SPARKS contest, which test the skills of apprentice electricians and heating apprentices.
“It illustrates the depth of expertise and passion in our training staff who are committed to creating the next generation of industry experts.
“We actively encourage our apprentices to compete in national and international skills contests to raise their profiles within their chosen sectors; boost their CVs and to showcase their amazing talent.
“It is a privilege to be the chosen host of the HIPS and SPARKS regional contest for the fifth year now, reflecting our continued investment in industry-standard facilities and the warm welcome we offer to visitors.”