GRADUATES are celebrating having completed engineering apprenticeships at Kendal's Gilkes.

They have all completed the four year engineering courses. Gilkes apprentices are mentored in machining and assembly on the shop floor before transferring into the engineering offices.

Three of the group are continuing their education through a sponsored university place, undertaking a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree course.

Gilkes Chairman, Charles Crewdson said: “I am very pleased to present our most recent batch of apprentices with their certificates of achievement in recognition of all their hard work and wish them future success as they embark on the next stage of their career.”

Gilkes will now sponsor their ongoing professional development and training as a strategic commitment, strengthening and stimulating the frontiers of science and technology.

Kendal College is Gilkes primary training provider for apprenticeships and play a key role in their development.

Working closely with the college allows Gilkes to develop an academic and practical framework that suits Gilkes and the apprentice.

"A highlight for me this year was being awarded the ‘Young Engineer of the Year’ in the ‘Technician’ category, by the Pump Centre, in recognition of significant engineering achievements based on my major projects within the company," said Kendal's Abigail Stephenson, one of the graduate apprentices.