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At PPS we are committed to supporting our apprentices and proud to celebrate their successes, which is why we are thrilled to announce that Leland Heslop has been shortlisted for an Apprentice of the Year Award.
A prestigious award
The accolade is one of 10 categories at the Calderdale Excellence in Business Awards, now in their 11th year. Organised by the Halifax Courier, the award ceremony is due to take place on Thursday 14 November 2019 at The Arches, Dean Clough in Halifax. Business people from across the region will enjoy a drinks reception, three-course meal and entertainment, along with the announcement of the award winners.
Leland’s nomination recognises the successful completion of his apprenticeship, but also his personal development and the positive impact he has made at PPS.
The apprenticeship
Born and bred in Halifax, Leland completed the final year of a four-year apprenticeship leading to a Level 3 BTech in Mechanical Engineering in the summer of 2019.
While training for his apprenticeship, Leland impressed the Engineering Training Centre Manager at training provider Appris, Mark Butcher, who described him as “a very reliable, punctual, trustworthy and hardworking learner”. He went on to say: “Leland always tried 100% in all tasks and demonstrated a very calm and professional manner even when the work got tough. Leland was an absolute pleasure to have on the courses and we are delighted that he continues to thrive at PPS.”
Leland’s achievements at work
Working both independently and as part of a team, Leland has helped to deliver ongoing preventative maintenance and emergency support for PPS customers in a variety of manufacturing industries. As a Compressed Air Service Engineer, he works hard to reduce costly downtime and production losses, and has excelled in this role.
Leland’s line manager, Service Manager Paul Thomas, said of the apprentice: “It’s been a pleasure to see Leland both mature and motivate himself to become an excellent service engineer. He has delivered his apprenticeship with excellent results and consistently high standard reports. For the last 12 months he has been working solo in his role and has proven he has the high customer service standards PPS achieve. He has also shown he has the ability to adapt and deliver in any given situation. He has a very bright future at PPS and we are proud to have him on board.”
Team player
Leland’s extracurricula activities have included raising funds by taking part in the annual PPS 41-mile charity bike ride from Brighouse to Sheffield – a gruelling and challenging ride.
He has also been involved with activities for Bradford Manufacturing Week and National Apprenticeship Week, talking to students touring our head office and taking part in publicity for these initiatives.
Representing the team
The whole team are proud of Leland’s achievements, culminating in being shortlisted for this award.
As PPS Managing Director Ian Harrison said: “It’s been great to see a young quiet guy mature over the last four years. He has always been reliable, punctual, polite and keen to learn – setting a strong example for others of his age. For me apprenticeships are crucial for ensuring succession within our business. Leland’s experience is a success story for this route into the workplace. Well done Leland, proud to have you as part of our team.”
