Winners Bring Hope to ‘Lost Generation’

LONDON, July 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Extraordinary people doing incredible things have brought hope to ‘the lost generation’ at the Enginuity Skills Awards 2026, in partnership with Babcock. Leading figures from industry and government stood to applaud the winners and nominees at the glittering ceremony in central London.

Now in its 12th year, the Enginuity Skills Awards, in partnership with Babcock, celebrate the students, apprentices, employers, teams and educators shaping the future of the UK engineering and manufacturing sector.

The ultimate Best of British Engineering award, selected by the eminent judging panel as the overall winner, was awarded to Olivia Lane, Mechatronics Apprentice at Amazon. She said: “My head teacher told me not to do the apprenticeship that ended up changing my life – and that’s from a head teacher! But I took a leap of faith and here I am.

“My advice to others is to say yes to every opportunity and step out of your comfort zone if you have to, you never know what the next mail will bring and where it will take you. I did doubt myself, especially when I saw the quality of those that I was up against. This is life-changing for me.”

Other winners included outstanding individuals, employers, training providers and collaborations that are helping to close skills gaps and strengthen the future of UK engineering and manufacturing.

Ann Watson MBE, CEO of Enginuity, the former Sector Skills Council charged with fixing the skills gap in the sector, said: “There is hope, there are reasons to shout from the rooftops - these people and organisations are on the frontline trying to save Alan Milburn’s ‘lost generation’.

“With such energy and so many uplifting stories, who couldn’t be optimistic about the future of engineering and manufacturing? The winners and nominees radiate the drive, ingenuity and aptitude that breathe new life into our industry and economy. We salute them all.”

Gareth Hedicker, Chief Operating Officer – Marine at Babcock, said: “The Enginuity Skills Awards highlight the very best of the engineering and manufacturing sector, and this year’s winners represent the talent that will drive UK industry forward. At Babcock, we know that investing in skills is critical to meeting future challenges and unlocking opportunity. It’s an honour to support these awards and celebrate those who are building the capabilities our economy depends on. Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding achievements.”

And the winners are:

Best of British Engineer and Advanced Level Apprentice of the Year sponsored by Train’d Up

Olivia Lane, Mechatronics Apprentice, Amazon

Olivia Lane of Amazon is a talented mechatronics apprentice recognised for initiative, resilience and problem-solving. She has delivered operational improvements, strengthened contingency planning and collaborated effectively across teams. Passionate about widening access, she promotes engineering apprenticeships as a rewarding route into industry, especially for women and high-achieving students considering alternatives to university.

Graduate, Degree or Higher-Level Apprentice of the Year sponsored by Institutes of Technology

Lucy Yelland, Automation Engineer Degree Apprentice, Siemens

Lucy Yelland of Siemens is an outstanding automation engineer whose degree apprenticeship has combined academic excellence with business impact. She has shown technical ability, leadership and resilience through fault diagnosis, project delivery, mentoring and outreach, while excelling in WorldSkills competition. She is already making a measurable difference and building a promising leadership future.

Former apprentice and WorldSkills UK competitor, Lucy, aged 24, said: “It means the World to me. I want to go on to do a master’s degree. Self-belief is everything, you have to be confident in yourself. Engineering means everything to me.”

T Level Student of the Year sponsored by Eduqas

Calum Borland, T Level Student, BAE Systems

Calum Borland is an impressive T Level student whose placement has deepened his technical understanding and ambition in engineering. Through independent learning, workplace contribution and thoughtful problem-solving, he has shown maturity and potential in materials and manufacturing. His ability to apply theory to real challenges marks him as a future engineer with clear direction.

Aerospace Engineer Calum, aged 18 from Southport, said: “It’s only up from here. I am shocked, but I do think I deserve it. It’s been a rollercoaster; I didn’t do as well as I wanted to in my first year, but I just kept going. My family has been very supportive. If you are inquisitive and take things apart – engineering is for you – just go for it.”

Large Employer Skills Champion of the Year sponsored by The Welding Institute

Babcock Emerging Talent

Babcock Emerging Talent is a strategic skills programme transforming how talent is developed and retained. By creating multiple entry routes, it addresses workforce gaps while widening access for apprentices, career changers, veterans and returners. The programme has delivered strong recruitment, retention and inclusion results, offering a scalable model for strengthening engineering capability.

Debbie Joce, Babcock Skills Director, said: “I am absolutely delighted – this is recognition of the team’s incredible work. Passion drives us, we know we need to do everything we can to drive skills for the next generation.”

New Talent Inspiration Programme of the Year sponsored by Rolls-Royce

Babcock PSO Programme

Babcock PSO Programme is a bold initiative creating accessible entry routes into engineering for people from diverse backgrounds. Designed to address urgent workforce needs while widening opportunity, it combines inclusive hiring, targeted training and partner collaboration. The programme has strengthened resilience, opened long-term career pathways and influenced recruitment practice across the sector.

Natashia Allan, Capability and Prosperity Director at Babcock, said: “Collaboration is the secret of our success. This is a reward for the whole team and those that we work with outside the organisation.”

SME Employer Skills Champion of the Year sponsored by BAE Systems

Wright Brothers Industrial Services Limited

Wright Brothers Industrial Services Limited is a people-focused SME that has embedded skills development at the heart of its growth strategy. Through apprenticeships, upskilling, leadership development and inclusive learning pathways, it has built a resilient workforce. Its success in internal progression, retention and business performance shows a strong long-term commitment to reducing skills gaps.

Sarah Collins, Head of Administration at Wright Brothers Industrial Services Limited, said: “We’ve been building our programmes for upskilling and apprenticeships over the last 5 years. It’s a great achievement for all of us. It’s tough – but we have a full order book. Finding the right people is key and then giving them the equipment they need is vital.”

The Enginuity Alliance Collaboration Award sponsored by UVAC

OneHive and Generating Genius

OneHive and Generating Genius - Scaling STEM Programmes with Tech for Good Collaboration is an innovative partnership using digital infrastructure to widen participation and strengthen pathways into engineering and STEM careers. By combining outreach expertise with technology, it has created a scalable model that improves engagement, mentoring and learner tracking while supporting accessibility, safeguarding and measurable progression.

Rushab Shah, Co-founder and CEO of OneHive, said: “We have 30,000 end beneficiaries across the country and we are audacious in our goals we want to help 6 million young people over the next 4 years. This is a major milestone for us.”

Training Partner Skills Champion of the Year sponsored by EAL

Ayrshire College

Ayrshire College's Supporting the Engineering & Aerospace Skills Pipeline for Ayrshire is a dynamic partnership strengthening one of Scotland’s key industrial regions. Through pre-apprenticeships, expanded apprenticeship provision and specialist upskilling, it has delivered strong growth, employer satisfaction and progression into engineering careers, creating a sustainable model for regional workforce development and future investment.

Angela Cox, Chief Executive and Principal at Ayrshire College, said: “It’s recognition of all the hard work that the team has given the aerospace cluster in our region. This is a catalyst to help us build and move onwards and upwards. It’s about immersing yourself in the sector – we know the needs that they have and make it our business to be in and around the workplace all the time.”

Comments from our Platinum Partners

Richard Hamer, HR Director for Education & Skills at BAE Systems, said:

“We would like to congratulate all winners on their considerable success! The Enginuity Awards are an important recognition of talent. Celebrating excellence in apprenticeship and graduate training and achievement is essential as we continue to inspire more employers to create training pathways into meaningful careers and employment for people from all backgrounds.

“At BAE Systems in the UK we support 5,100 apprentices and 1700 graduates and undergraduates in learning, and they are vital to meeting our nation’s defence and security needs.”

Neil Mantle, Engineering and Quality Director – Procurement & Supply Chain at Rolls-Royce commented: “Rolls-Royce are delighted to have sponsored the Enginuity Skills Awards this year as a Platinum Partner. We send our congratulations to everyone involved, those nominated and the subsequent winners in each category.”

“It was a privilege to hear so many great stories, each of which provides inspiration and motivation to continue to highlight and support the growth of talent across UK Manufacturing and Engineering in different ways.”

Enginuity is grateful to all our sponsors for their valued support of the Enginuity Skills Awards 2026: our Headline Sponsor, Babcock; Platinum Partners, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce; Category Partners, Train’d Up, Institutes of Technology, WJEC (Eduqas), EAL, The Welding Institute; our Event Partner, EDT; Silver Partners, Siemens and Burton and South Derbyshire College & Toyota Manufacturing; Bronze Partners, CBM, Ihasco and Sharp IT Services, and our Drinks Reception Partner, The 5% Club. Their support plays a vital role in helping us celebrate and champion excellence across engineering and manufacturing skills.

Media Contact: Dan Kirkby

Email: dan@dkpr.co.uk

Phone: +44(0)7785 392735

Website: www.enginuity.org/skills-awards-2026

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9745133-a5af-4439-aa02-edc99d0e0021

This item of content is a press release from a third party provider who make no warranties or representations in connection with this content and therefore PA can make no warranties in respect of its use.

Tags

More Like This

Enginuity Skills Awards 2026 – The ‘Oscars of Skills’

Enginuity Skills Awards Partner with BBC Star and Babcock

Night of Glory For 'New Frontier' Skills Icons: Enginuity Skills Awards Winners Take a Bow

Enginuity Launches Enspiring Futures to Create New Pathways Into Welding and Fabrication Careers

UK Engineering and Manufacturing SMEs Invited to Take Part in Enginuity’s Second SME Snapshot Survey

NEET Numbers & Benefits Pressure Could Tumble If Skills Gap is Filled – Says Enginuity

Team UK Flies the Flag in Denmark

SMEs may Turn Back on Apprenticeships, Economic 'Shock and War' Disrupts Skills Provision