Barry’s award shines a light on UKAEA apprenticeships excellence

UKAEA’s (@UKAEAofficial) Barry Preston was a winner in this year’s Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards | #OAAwards2021 | @OxonApprentice  

UKAEA engineer Barry Preston has triumphed in the Shining Star category of the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2021.

Barry – shortlisted as one of three nominees – took home the award in recognition of “outstanding career progression” following apprenticeship training.

Barry, who now works at UKAEA’s robotics centre RACE, joined as an Electrical Engineering apprentice in 2013 and graduated in 2017.

“The award is a real testament to everyone at UKAEA who supported me through the apprenticeship,” Barry said.

“It was challenging and enjoyable, and I recommend UKAEA’s apprenticeship to any young people interested in starting out as an engineer. The opportunities are endless, and you get paid while learning on the job.”

UKAEA was also nominated in two other categories in the awards. Rosie Lay was a finalist for Higher Apprentice of the Year, while UKAEA itself was shortlisted in the Large Employer apprenticeship award.

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Three nominations for UKAEA in county’s leading apprenticeship awards 

21 Apr 2021: Two UKAEA staff have been shortlisted for Oxfordshire Apprenticeships’ 2021 awards – in addition to the Authority itself being nominated.

Electrical engineer Barry Preston was named in the final three of the awards’ Shining Star category. This award recognises apprentices who have demonstrated outstanding career progression since their training.

In addition, Associate Project Manager Apprentice, Rosie Lay, was nominated in the Higher Apprentice of the Year category.

UKAEA has also been shortlisted as a finalist in the Large Employer award.

Barry – who joined UKAEA as an Electrical Engineering apprentice in 2013 and graduated in 2017 – now works at its RACE robotics centre and is involved in the programme to upgrade JET’s Remote Handling Systems.

Barry, who said he applied to the UKAEA Apprenticeship Scheme because he wanted to learn and be involved in world-leading research into fusion energy, said:

“I feel honoured to have been named in the Top 3 of the Shining Star award, and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me through my apprenticeship and beyond.

“The most enjoyable and challenging project I completed as an apprentice was to design a haptic glove system to control robotic arms remotely using a VR interface.”

Rosie, who joined as an apprentice in September 2019, has already worked on a range of key projects at UKAEA.

She said: “I was pleasantly surprised to hear I had been shortlisted. I feel very proud, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities I have had throughout my apprenticeship to work on a variety of different projects and activities across the organisation.”