CMB Engineering apprentice wins gold at skills competition

Dominic Trees, a third-year apprentice at CMB Engineering, won a gold medal in the Mechanical Turning competition at The Skills Show (14-15 November; Birmingham, UK), the nation’s largest skills and careers event. The show also plays host to the WorldSkills UK national competitions, where apprentices from companies across the country test their talents. In total, over 60 contests were held in five skill areas, including Engineering, the category in which Mr Trees competed. 

The young apprentice competed as an individual against teams from Perkins Engines and Siemens that consisted of two members each. The competition focused on a challenge requiring each team to undertake the mechanical turning of five different tooling parts for a mechatronics model.

His success serves as testimony not only to his talent and dedication, but also to the skills and knowledge acquired from CMB Engineering’s apprentice programme. Since its inception, the programme has equipped hundreds of young, talented individuals with the engineering skills required to excel in the industry. In March of this year, three CMB Engineering apprentices – Andrew Maguire, George Moffat, and Daniel Gebhard – were awarded first prize in the Manufacturing Team Challenge at the WorldSkills UK national competition for the design and production of a high-speed water pumping unit. The team followed up this success by winning a medallion of excellence in the same category at the WorldSkills International tournament in July in Leipzig, Germany. CMB Engineering’s apprentices were the only team to make it through to the international final to come from a canmaking background.

Adding to the excitement over the win at The Skills Show is the fact that Trees’ participation in the challenge was unplanned. “I originally came to The Skills Show with George Moffatt to help promote the WorldSkills competition to attendees,” said Mr Trees. “I received a last minute invitation from the event organisers to participate in the contest, so winning the gold medal was a great surprise! I am extremely proud of the award, which I would attribute not only to my passion for engineering but also the support I have received from CMB Engineering’s apprenticeship programme.”

Andrew Truelove, General Manager at CMB Engineering said: “Dominic’s victory is one of many highlights for CMB Engineering this year. We are extremely proud that our apprentices continue to perform at such a high level. Their success underscores our commitment as a company to truly support the next generation of talent.”

CMB Engineering, based in Shipley, UK, is a market leader in the design, development and manufacture of can-making equipment.

Related news: CMB Engineering apprentices reap awards at WorldSkills