A Walsall College apprentice has been named as one of the talented stars of the signmaking industry at the British Sign Awards, which took place on 13th October.
Nathan Aston, an apprentice at AST Signs, beat off competition from across the UK to secure the Roland ‘Apprentice of the Year’ award, a title presented to individuals who have made outstanding progress in their achievements and have made a real contribution to their employer’s business.
The 18-year old impressed judges with his commitment to personal development and the way he has become an integral part of print production team, at the vehicle graphics and commercial signage specialist.
He recently completed his Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship in Signmaking and is now part way through his Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, with a view to progressing on to a Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in Management.
Nathan said: “Signmaking is a very specialised and hands-on industry so I felt an apprenticeship would give me a great route towards a rewarding career. The training is allowing me to constantly learn new skills and apply them in the workplace, while earning a wage at the same time.
“Winning the award is a huge honour as I was competing against apprentices from all over the country, and some with a lot more experience than me. It’s now given me the belief that I will go on to achieve my goals in the future.”
Mark Aston, Managing Director of AST Signs said: “Since joining us as an apprentice, Nathan has far exceeded our expectations by taking on more responsibility, including the management of some of our most significant contracts. He has progressed very quickly in a short space of time and is fulfilling a role that would be expected of someone with many more years of experience.
“The training element of the apprenticeship has also enabled Nathan to develop excellent IT skills and he is always keeping ahead of emerging technologies in the print production sector that will help our business grow.”
AST Signs, based in Penrith, Cumbria, is at the forefront of the fleet branding market and working with the likes of Royal Mail, Tesco, Eddie Stobart, Yodel, HSS Hire, Muller Wiseman and Malcolm Group. The firm currently employs six apprentices in total and has worked closely with Walsall College since 2013 to provide their apprentices with a nationally recognised qualification, as well as practical hands-on experience and are now looking to expand the scheme with a recruitment drive to find additional apprentices.
Mark added: “Our apprentices have become an intrinsic and very valuable part of our team and have had such an impact that we are looking for further recruits to grow the business. Apprenticeships are beneficial for both the employer and the employee and are a great way to introduce new talent to our industry.”
Trainer Assessor for Signmaking at Walsall College, Andrew Evans, commented: “Nathan is a great credit to his employer and we are very pleased that he has received industry wide recognition for his work. He is a great example of the valuable contribution that apprentices make in the workplace.”
The awards ceremony took place at East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham and also saw two other Walsall College Signmaking apprentices, Rosalia Scozzari and Abbie Mormone from global branding specialist, Creative Graphics International in Bedford, win highly commended prizes.