Elta Apprentice Shortlisted for Prestigious Star Award with Sandwell College

Service & Development Apprentice Lewis Bennett has been shortlisted for Sandwell College’s prestigious Apprentice Star Award.

Awarded as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (which will taking place 10^th – 16^th of February), the accolade celebrates and recognises the dedication, determination and achievements of apprentices across the region. Lewis was nominated by his line managers at Elta, Dan Owen, Engineering Manager, and Paul Brophy, Lead Engineer.

Having started his apprenticeship in November 2022 at Lima College in Dudley before transferring to Sandwell Academy, Lewis now works four days a week at Elta with a day spent in the classroom. Lewis’s responsibilities have grown as his three-year course has progressed, handling servicing and maintenance of products for the air movement and air quality specialists, taking part in inspections and testing, and visiting customer sites.

Lewis’s remarkable development and embracing of new opportunities outside his usual responsibilities has impressed his colleagues, leading to his appointment as a quality representative for the company’s West Midland site. This enthusiasm earned him the nomination for the Apprentice Star Award, and with his apprenticeship set to end this Summer, he will return to Elta in a full-time role.

“I didn’t even know I’d been shortlisted for the award because I was on site at the time, so finding out was a really nice surprise,” says Lewis. “My granddad was an engineer his whole life and that inspired me to become an engineer – this is what I’ve wanted to do, so it’s fantastic to be recognised with this nomination.

“Learning with Elta has been a great experience, and everyone’s been very welcoming. Daniel and Paul have been my mentors and they’ve given me a lot of support – if there’s anything I don’t know, I’ll phone them, and they’ll be around in a matter of minutes to show me what to do. I’ve really valued their help, and the fact Daniel started as a student here like me has shown me a clear development pathway and provided great insight into what’s required in the role. It’s an honour that they put me forward for this prestigious award.”

Lewis’s nomination is the latest in a string of successes for Elta’s training programme, following Sam Brophy and Anthony McGuiness completing their apprenticeships as Lean Manufacturing Operatives (Production/Assembly) last summer. With both Sam and Anthony now employed full-time at the company’s Kingswinford factory, these latest achievements further demonstrate our commitment to investing in its employees and helping them reach their full potential, as Daniel Owen, Engineering Manager, explains.

“We take pride in ensuring our apprentices have access to relevant training that allows them to excel in what they do,” says Dan. “Whether that’s gaining new certifications or flourishing in an expanding role, it’s excellent to see colleagues like Sam, Anthony and Lewis thrive and succeed.

“In Lewis’s case, it’s been fantastic to see him take on additional responsibilities as his apprenticeship has progressed. As his colleagues have said, nothing is too much trouble for him, so it’s no wonder he’s been nominated for the Apprentice Star Award. – we’re all rooting for him to win!”

For more information on the Elta placement program, click here.