Everybody at Xtrac was very honoured to welcome Darren Huttel’s mother Sharon, and brother Mark to the Thatcham facilities last week to present this year’s Darren Huttel award for apprentices. Open to all current Xtrac apprentices, voting criteria for the award takes into consideration quality of college work and overall performance and conduct both at work and at college.

The award is named after the former well-loved Xtrac employee who suddenly and unexpectedly passed away at aged 35 in September 2005. Darren worked in Xtrac’s build shop for four years and had begun his career as an apprentice.

This year’s runner up, for the second year in a row was Cameron Wakeford. Cameron’s production of work is excellent, taking a real pride in his machining and how he conducts his work, and he has even produced new CNC workflow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

And congratulations to the winner of this year’s award, for the third year in a row, Faye Cooke. Faye is a huge asset to the business, and she has been recognised by her tutors who believe she continues to do an exceptional job, achieving distinctions throughout her HNC and completed a first-class portfolio of evidence of level 3 skills, also adding two additional units.

Faye is a true role model and has supported several Xtrac events including Woman in Engineering, City & Guilds and The Princess Royal visit which has continued to promote Xtrac Apprentices in Schools and colleges.