Tom Lockhart, HR Administrative Assistant at WMG, has been recognised as a finalist in the City of Coventry Freemen’s Guild Apprentice of the Year Awards for 2014. Tom was one of six finalists who were selected for exceptional ability shown in their chosen apprenticeship and whose achievements can inspire others towards considering the opportunities available through undertaking apprenticeships.

Tom and the other finalists were invited to the Apprentice of the Year Awards dinner held in St. Mary’s Guildhall in January. Awards were presented by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Hazel Noonan and Guild Master, Colin Harris.

WMG Chairman, Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya also attended the ceremony as the invited guest speaker to mark the 10th anniversary of the awards. In his speech to the finalists and guests, he stressed the importance of encouraging apprenticeships and pointed to his own early career experience, as a graduate apprentice for Lucas Industries, to show how the lessons learned had forged his career.

In this room we know the value of apprenticeships. The apprentices here tonight have reminded us of why we are ambassadors for apprenticeships. I am honoured to join you in this work, because it is something I am passionate about… My apprenticeship gave me connections and showed me that businesses needed academics who understood the real world of work. My apprenticeship shaped my entire career.”

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya used the occasion to submit the thought-provoking challenge of making Coventry Britain’s capital city for apprentices. He offered suggestions for how this could be achieved by embracing the concept of technical education across the city and supporting businesses, large and small, to recognise the value that apprenticeships can offer.

The finalists we’ve heard today are truly inspiring. They remind us of success of the apprentices you’ve celebrated for the last decade. They remind us of the value of this Guild, and the role of apprentices in rebuilding our city and making it an industrial powerhouse. Let us take their inspiration and your proud history, and make Coventry the capital city for the new generation of Britain’s apprentices.”

Find out more: Further Education and Skills - Apprenticeships (gov.uk)

Tom’s apprenticeship:

Tom Lockhart began his apprenticeship at Warwick Medical School, also at the University of Warwick. During his studies, he achieved across the board distinctions, and completed his NVQ Level 3 in Business and Administration in only 12 months instead of 18 months.

Within his apprenticeship Tom very quickly became an integral and valuable member of the Medical School team. He clearly demonstrated that he was capable of operating at a much higher level than the organisation's expectations for an early apprentice and regularly exceeded targets that were set for him. He also applied the knowledge he was gaining through his apprenticeship to improve systems within the Human Resources team. As a result, after only 10 months of his apprenticeship he was successful in being appointed to the role of Administrative Assistant in the HR team at WMG.

Tom is now keen to continue his professional development either through a degree or a specific career qualification such as for the Chartered Institute for Personnel & Development and those who sponsored him for his award are confident that he will have many successes ahead of him.