Partner Article

A&P plays the generation game

SHIPYARD apprentice Martin Laffey has managed to maintain a family tradition thanks to his employers A&P Tyne.

Martin’s dad, granddad and great-granddad all worked in shipyards on the Tyne when the river was renowned for building world-class vessels.

But more than two decades of decline decimated the industry and the skills used by generations of Geordies to build household names like the Ark Royal and the Esso Northumbria were in danger of dying out.

Now those crucial skills are now being rescued and revived through companies like A&P, who have restored their apprenticeship scheme.

And 23-year-old Martin, who lives near the Tyne yard in Hebburn, has made his family and his bosses proud by being shortlisted for the Outstanding Achievement by a First Year Apprentice Award.

EEF (Engineering Employers Federation), who sponsor the coveted award, will announce the winner of the North East final at a ceremony in Leeds on November 16 and if Martin were to win he would gain automatic entry to the National Awards, held in London in December.

Martin was at A&P Tyne last September, working as a labourer for a sub-contractor, when he heard the yard was looking for a new intake of apprentices.

He said: “I was over the moon when I got accepted. There aren’t many apprenticeships around and for those there are there’s a lot of competition.”

Having recently got his first welder qualifications certificate, he has now done some small jobs on the new Royal Navy aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth.

Martin said: “It will be a great feeling to see her after she’s launched and know I’ve been part of it. I’m especially pleased because my dad worked on the Ark Royal at Swan Hunter and now I’m involved on the ship that is going to replace her. It’s a nice link, I’m glad I got the chance to continue the tradition.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .