When apprentice groundworker James French attended his final few lessons of the academic year at Leeds College of Building, he wasn’t expecting to be publicly commended – much less named General Construction Operations Apprentice of the Year!

James, who joined us 18 months ago on our Skipton Road site, has been recognised by Leeds College of Building for to his outstanding dedication to his studies and his eagerness to make the most of his time on site at Howard Civil Engineering.

He was presented with the award at Leeds College of Buildings’ prestigious awards ceremony, held last week at Leeds United’s Centenary Pavilion. The event celebrated the success of students over the 2021/2022 academic year.

Commenting on James’ outstanding performance, his tutor Steven Pritchard said: “James has 100% attendance whilst at Leeds College of Building. He has constructed a very strong site evidence portfolio and has performed well on his mock EPA assessments.”

“James is also very well-liked by his group,” Steven continued. “He will often dedicate his time to assist others.”

James’ hard work and team spirit hasn’t gone unnoticed at Howard Civil Engineering, with contract manager James Page commending his attitude on site and his growth over the past 18 months: “It is fantastic to hear the positive news that James has been awarded General Construction Operations Apprentice of the Year from the UK’s only college dedicated to construction and the built environment,” he said. “From day one, he has demonstrated a keen and admirable interest in all aspects of groundworks and this award is very well deserved.”

Managing director Michael Howard also praised James’ recent award: “Our successful apprenticeship programme has produced several highly skilled and qualified members of the construction industry over the last 19 years, and I am thrilled to hear that James has been recognised for his hard work and his keen ambition,” he said.

“At only 20 years old, James is already a shining example of how Howard Civil Engineering’s apprenticeship programme is helping to shape the future of construction in and around Yorkshire.”

James is still working on our Skipton Road housing development site in Harrogate, on which we are delivering an £11m road and sewers package for United Living. But what does the future hold for him? Engineer Hayden Brook, who has been working alongside James in recent months, said the future looks bright for James.

“James has worked on both drainage and external works and has found he enjoys the external works side of groundworks,” he said. “He would like to progress further in this area, and I have every confidence he will find success. He is a hard-working individual who is keen to learn all areas of groundworks and progress in the construction industry, and he takes guidance well – especially when working alongside our more experienced groundworkers. There’s definitely a bright future ahead for James!”