The new award has been dubbed The Dyson Young Woman Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award. The IET is now taking nominations for the award, which it is hoped will act as an extra draw to young women who are considering different career options. The award is viewed as the perfect way to demonstrate the value and importance of apprenticeships and to attract more female apprentices into the industry.

The likely winner of the award will be an apprentice who has shown the ability and extra enthusiasm for engineering during the course of their apprenticeship programme. It is also anticipated that the new Apprentice of the Year will be someone of role model calibre and be willing to act as a mentor to other young women apprentices.

Dyson on Award

James Dyson introduced the new award, saying: "The James Dyson Foundation is pleased to be supporting this award. We strongly believe that women have a valuable role to play within engineering, design and technology. Embarking on an apprenticeship scheme is a good route into engineering: it's very much about being involved and hands on from day one.

"Too much importance is placed on going to university," Mr. Dyson continued. "We are encouraged to become middle-class professionals and to avoid industry and manufacturing; however, many overlook the rewarding opportunities that industry can offer young people, particularly women who are not traditionally encouraged to enter these fields."

IET Chief executive Alf Roberts said: "The IET is committed to raising awareness of the value of engineering apprenticeships, particularly as the engineering industry is currently trying to cope with a skills shortage. In particular, we hope that the Dyson Young Woman Engineering Apprentice of the Year Award will help to raise awareness of the value of apprenticeship schemes and will encourage more women to consider a career within engineering."

This year's award will be taking entries until 15th September and the winner will be awarded £750 by the James Dyson Foundation and a certificate.

Dan Atkinson

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