THE Bradford Means Business Awards 2022 will reward the best Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year for the second time in its history.

The business awards already recognise both apprentices and manufacturers, but the two areas were combined in 2021 to create a new award, sponsored by Christeyns.

This is because we believe manufacturing apprentices are key to the district’s success.

It comes as Bradford's Manufacturing Week has highlighted the need for such roles and this award will go on to recognise apprentices who have chosen manufacturing as a career.

They must also have successfully come through their company’s apprenticeship programme and be the best there is.

The category is open to entries from those who work in the manufacturing sector only.

James Poole of Solenis won the inaugural award last year.

Upon receiving the award, he told the Telegraph and Argus: "I wasn't expecting to win due to the calibre of the other candidates.

"I came in from an engineering side of things then I saw an apprenticeship going at Solenis, went for it and I have never looked back.

"The job is making a product from raw materials, so we can measure how much we have achieved each day.

"We feed other plants on the site so we have more responsibility because we have to provide them material to use as well.

"It is a challenge but still good fun."