A TALENTED apprentice at Falmouth's Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group has won the Pump Centre’s Young Engineer Awards 2019.

The award is aimed at young engineers working anywhere in the supply chain from end users, consultants, contractors, manufacturers and component and service suppliers. It aims to celebrate and recognise those who have made a significant contribution to their company in the area of pumps, systems and the associated equipment.

Dan Rutter’s win was in the apprentice category.

In this area, entrants are expected to have proven experience on engineering projects which are “...appropriate to their field of work and primarily be working in the workshop on hands-on based tasks”.

This is not Dan’s first taste of high-profile awards success; he has already won Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year. After completing his level 2 apprenticeship last year, Dan spent his summer working on tool improvements at home before starting his level 3 apprenticeship in September 2018.

A Falmouth resident, he is an ambassador for Truro and Penwith College and, as part of his role at Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group, he visits schools to encourage others to consider apprenticeship training.

Dan said: “I am really pleased to have my work recognised by the Pump Centre’s Award judges – and I hope that my own journey inspires plenty of other young people.

“Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group is a great place to work for apprentice engineers. The company is really supportive of young people and my colleagues have helped me to see how rewarding a career in technology and engineering can be.

"I look forward to continuing to build my skills; my plan to is work towards a manufacturing management role within the company.”

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group is a major employer in the south west of England.

Twice awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the company runs an apprenticeship programme as well as an active community engagement scheme that aims to introduce technology careers to young people.