Sheffield automotive tools specialist Eldon Tool and Engineering Limited were delighted to see their apprentice Russell Fox named the AMRC Training Centre’s Boeing Apprentice of the Year, at the UK's first ever University-based Apprentice Awards event which was held last week (11 March 2015) at the University of Sheffield.

Sponsored by Boeing, and drawing guests from a number of companies, the prestigious awards dinner recognised the achievements of talented apprentices at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre.

The black tie event, attended by 200 guests, celebrated the Centre’s 400-strong apprentices, honouring the best of the best with 11 awards. The top award of the night, presented by the Managing Director of Boeing UK, went to Russell Fox, Eldon Tool and Engineering’s 17-year-old apprentice, who was named the AMRC Training Centre’s Boeing Apprentice of the Year. Russell wins the trip of a lifetime to Boeing’s headquarters in Seattle, where he will see the aerospace giant’s new Dreamliner being made.

Russell applied for an apprenticeship at Eldon Tool and Engineering after completing his GCSEs. He commented: “I have really enjoyed the freedom to learn that the Training Centre has given me. This has been reflected in my academic achievements this year. I am now keen to progress on to a foundation degree.”

Eldon’s General Manager Stuart Smith said, “We are very proud of Russell’s achievements and especially this prestigious award. Here at Eldon we take our apprenticeship programme very seriously and this has been reflected in recent years with the accolades our apprentices have won, Sam Abbott (Apprentice of the Year), Alex Montisci (SMC Award of Excellence) and now of course Russell Fox.”

Eldon Tool and Engineering were established in 1975 and are equipped with the very best technologically advanced machines for turning, milling and drilling. This, combined with the expertise of their staff, lets Eldon produce products for a wide range of industries as well as the ability to design and manufacture to customer’s specifications.