Success is on tap for Katie

Trainee plumber Katie Plummer packed in her warehouse job to retrain - and now she is housing firm St Leger Homes’ apprentice of the year.

She received the award at a presentation day for the firm which runs Doncaster’s council housing stock.

The 30-year-old scooped the title of overall winner and was presented with a cut glass trophy, as well as 100 and two tickets to the theme park of her choice.

Meanwhile, apprentice joiner Andrew Wilson, aged 19, was awarded a trophy and a cheque for 50 as best first year apprentice. In addition, Mark Norris, aged 20, also an apprentice joiner, will receive a trophy and a cheque for 75 as best second year apprentice.

The non-profit making organisation, which manages Doncaster’s 22,000 council houses, has 47 apprentices enrolled on its scheme and introduced the Apprentice of the Year Awards as an extra incentive for the housing maintenance trainees.

The awards ceremony – at St Leger Homes’ White Rose Way-based headquarters on Tuesday - coincided with 10 new apprentices joining the programme under the company’s 2007 intake, for which there were an incredible 580 applicants.

Martin Musgrave, chief executive of St Leger Homes, said: “The apprentice scheme acts as a springboard for those who want to become qualified professionals in their field and it gives them the opportunity to hone their skills alongside experienced members of staff.

“The award winners’ mentors have expressed their praise for Katie, Andy and Mark’s hard work and effort – they have all demonstrated real enthusiasm and dedication to learning from the very start of their programmes.

“The awards ceremony will become an annual event, which recognises the achievements and efforts of our apprentices.

“I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of our new and existing apprentices to work towards winning one of the awards next year.”