Scania UK’s Apprentice of the Year: WorldSkills UK finalist George Hinkley claims the top prize

George Hinkley from South Mimms service centre has been named Scania UK’s Apprentice of the Year 2022. Battling it out against three fellow candidates at Scania’s Technical Centre in Loughborough, George claimed first prize ahead of Ben Woodbine from Purfleet, Kevin Latta from Eurocentral and Andrew Maddison from Doncaster. The four finalists were handpicked by training provider Remit Training from Scania UK’s graduate intake of 80 apprentices for 2021/22.

The final four faced a number of practical and theoretical challenges designed to test their capabilities, training and mettle. The tasks included diagnosing fuelling and electrical faults to setting the valve clearance on an industrial engine, and concluded with a gruelling 50 question theory test. George Hinkley, Winner of Apprentice of the Year said:

“I was so shocked to win – I wasn’t expecting it.

I was confident I had done well throughout the day, but to be named Scania UK’s Apprentice of the Year is amazing. I love the company and I love my job and to prove that I’m one of the best apprentices at Scania is amazing, and it has earned me more respect in the workshop and given me more confidence too.”

George will also represent Scania and Remit at the WorldSkills UK Heavy Vehicle Technology finals in November, as he gears up to compete against the best technicians and apprentices nationwide at Cardiff & Vale College. Aaron McGrath, Head of People Development at Scania UK, said:

“George is something else – an absolute machine.

When it came to the tasks he was head and shoulders above anybody else. The fact he’s also representing Scania and Remit at the WorldSkills UK finals is fantastic. We want to be involved in that competition each year with one of our superstar apprentices leading the way.”

Alongside the Apprentice of the Year competition, Scania UK took the opportunity to recognise all the apprentices who’ve graduated from the programme over the last couple of years.

A graduation ceremony followed by a gala dinner and entertainment was the perfect way to sign-off their apprenticeships ahead of their next chapters.

Each apprentice joining Scania’s programme will undergo a three-year technical programme which involves 15 weeks of intensive training at the Loughborough Training Centre while also working at one of Scania UK’s 86 service centres to gain on the job training.