Thatcham Award Recognises Importance of Supporting Young Talent

Last night’s British Bodyshop Awards provided the perfect platform for Thatcham to acknowledge their own industry champion, as new Head of Commercial Services, Matthew Wright presented the research centre’s award for ‘Apprentice Mentor of the Year’.

Stepping up to receive the award was Adrian Brown, ATA Paint Technician at NCR Bodyshops, Newbury, who was recognised for exemplary commitment to his role in the development of apprentices.

Now in its fourth year, this prestigious British Bodyshop Awards event hosted by BBC star Fiona Bruce, took place at the Battersea Evolution in London, giving insurers, accident management companies, vehicle manufacturers and independent networks an opportunity to recognise businesses and individuals within their own particular areas.

The benefits of a dedicated apprentice mentor are evident in shaping future talent within a business. Whilst the Thatcham trained apprentices have the advantage of receiving top quality training from a world leading automotive research centre, the role of the mentor within the workplace is paramount to ensure the skills acquired during training are then honed and developed on a daily basis.

For over 10 years at NCR, Adrian Brown has mentored several apprentices and his passion for progressing new talent in the industry is consistently apparent to both his colleagues and also associates at Thatcham who work with the apprentices as part of the Thatcham Apprenticeship Programme.

“Adrian is an excellent role model who leads by example. His performance, experience, and attention to detail is second to none. He is very good at explaining why things go wrong and at the same time complementing them when things go right,” said Christine Maskill, Managing Director, NCR.

Thatcham’s award was judged by a panel of experts who looked for individuals with exceptional commitment, talent and drive to inspire and nurture future talent, ensuring skills that are introduced during their apprentice learning are subsequently put into practice in the workplace.

'The British Bodyshop Awards offers a wonderful opportunity for those in the industry to celebrate the shining stars. For Thatcham, our "Apprentice Mentor of the Year" award provides a great stage on which to recognise the fantastic efforts of those who go the extra mile by passing on their invaluable knowledge, skills and passion in nurturing future talent. In turn, acting as the catalyst for promising careers and securing the future of our industry,' added Matthew Wright, Head of Commercial Services, Thatcham Research.