Birmingham apprentice plumbs the heights

An apprentice with Birmingham building services engineering firm JS Wright has been acknowledged as the best in the business at handling pressure.

Jimmy Gavin, who lives in Solihull, has not only clinched his companyís Apprentice of the Year Award but also been named West Midlands Plumbing Apprentice of the Year.

The 23-year-old, who has also completed his NVQ Level 2 in Plumbing, was honoured for his exceptional skills and competence in this yearís West Midlands Regional Training Awards.

Jimmy will receive the coveted trophy from Summit-Skills, the Sector Skills Council for Building Services Engineering, in a ceremony at West Bromwich Albion Football Club on November 23.

He has now been promised a full-time career with JS Wright, which handles building services engineering projects across the residential, hotel, leisure, office and student residence sectors.

One of six apprentices at the firmís base in Portland Street, Jimmy has worked on Stratford Medical Centre and new student accommodation in Bath Row and Curzon Street, Birmingham in his first three years of training and is now working on a residential scheme in London.

JS Wright, which was formed in 1890, has a proud tradition of developing staff with two of its main board directors having been recruited as apprentices.

Managing director Marcus Aniol said: ìWe are delighted with Jimmyís success, which is a tribute to both his hard work and enthusiasm and the ever-willing help and support he receives from his colleagues. He is one of a great batch of apprentices that we have on our books that are all making a major contribution to our nationwide success.î