Events

SPARKS Learner of the Year 2021

SPARKS Learner of the Year 2021

The search has begun for the 2021 SPARKS Learner of the Year!

The results of Round 1 are in!

After completing the Round 1 test, we are pleased to announce the following learners have been successful and will be representing their college in Round 2. A massive well done to everybody who took part.

Zachary Stannett (Suffolk New College)
Tom Tyler (Wolverhampton College)
Marcus Fair (Sunderland College)
Simeon Farrar (York College)
Adam Pitcher (Oldham College)
Alexander Dransfield (Oldham College)
Charlie Spooner (Activate Learning, Guildford College)
James Gaskell (Farnborough College of Technology)
Morgan Dennis (The Focus Training Group)
Will Durston (Weston College)
Ieuan Jones (Coleg Gwent – Pontypool)
Lewis Sillitoe (Gower College Swansea)

A huge congratulations to everyone who has made it through! They will now go on to complete a series of fault-finding exercises and will take part in a Professional Discussion video call, with the top scorer of each region then going through to the live final!

Between March and May, Level 2 and 3 students from colleges nationwide will take part.

The SPARKS team has been keeping a close eye on the current lockdown restrictions. We had hoped that the live competitions would be able to take place in-person during March and April, however the safety of the competitors is our utmost priority.

We have therefore worked closely with NAPIT to develop an updated format for the 2021 Learner of the Year competition.

ROUND 1

All competitors will complete an online written test (1 hour).

ROUND 2

The top two scorers from each region will complete a series of practical scenario-based exercises and will take part in a Professional Discussion video call with their lecturer, a member of the SPARKS team, the NAPIT judge and sponsor representatives.

FINAL

The top scorer from each region will be chosen to complete a live practical test in May. Each finalist will compete in their own college for a chance to be crowned SPARKS Learner of the Year 2021.

As well as the prestige that comes from winning the competition, there are fantastic prizes up for grabs, with every competitor receiving a certificate for taking part.

Alex Rendall, of Bridgwater & Taunton College, won the 2020 competition. Alex, who won the competition at his third attempt after entering in the previous two years, said: “I’m over the moon, really happy. All the hard work was worth it. There are fantastic prizes on offer, it’s a great experience to meet new people and you get to work with products you might not work with on a day-to-day basis. It’s great to build your confidence, as you get the plans in the morning and have to keep calm and figure out how you’re going to do it.”

You can check out the 2020 regional test here.

If you’re a lecturer and have a Level 2 or 3 student you’d like to enter into the 2021 competition, send us your email address below and we’ll get in touch with the details!

Click here to view the competition terms and conditions.

Competitors will be sent the online test

08/03/2021

Deadline for completing online test

17/03/2021

12 semi-finalists will be notified and sent an exercise pack to complete

19/03/2021

Professional Discussions

wc/ 12/04/2021

Final (South West, Wales, South East)

06/05/2021

Final (Midlands, North West, North East)

20/05/2021

Testimonials

“Myself and Will were made to feel extremely welcome and had a great time. The experience for the students is invaluable and Will appreciated all of the prizes he received for the regionals and final. As a lecturer it was also good to meet up and chat with fellow lecturer’s to compare opinions.”

Sam Andrews, Lecturer - Petroc College

“It’s a great thing to have on your CV. If an employer is making a decision between someone who has entered a competition as prestigious as this, and someone who hasn’t, it’s a big thing to have.”

Mark Stuart, Brand Manager - Electric Center

“Meet the Lecturer allows you to really connect with the people who are shaping our industry for years to come. The opportunity to discuss various issues and industry topics with those charged with educating the trades professionals of tomorrow is, in my opinion, invaluable.”

Malcolm Duncan, Managing Director - Super Rod

“We are proud to be helping the electricians of tomorrow as they start out on their journey. It’s always great to see the apprentices working with our products throughout the regional heats and the final, as the standard of work is very high.”

Sean Miller, Electrician Channel Manager - Schneider Electric

“I would like to thank you for the special welcome and kind hospitality that we received whilst attending the SPARKS Final. The whole networking experience was fantastic. It was a pleasure to be part of the 10th anniversary final celebrations, which again proved what a fantastic competition this is. I hope that we see you again in the finals next year and we are already looking forward to regional heats.”

Kevin Ashton, Lecturer - Burnley College