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Aspiring engineers land two top awards

TWO aspiring engineers from Northampton College have picked up top awards for their work during an apprenticeship with Ilmor Engineering.

James Trethewy and James Flannigan landed the awards for their hard work and dedication shown throughout the apprenticeship programme with Brixworth-based Ilmor which designs, manufactures, builds and tests motor racing engines.

At the college’s annual awards ceremony, James Trethewy picked up the award for most determined student, sponsored by John Lewis, while James Flannigan was named Apprentice of the Year in Ilmor’s own internal awards.

Tony Thain, quality manager at Ilmor Engineering, said: "James Flannigan has been a breath of fresh air within the quality department and has become a valuable member of the team showing great enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.

"In the time he has been with Ilmor he has gone from being a shy, quiet young lad into a strong determined character who has the confidence to pick up any component up and get on and measure it.

"He has gained respect from all those who work with him and from the other departments he comes into contact with and has become a real team player always available to help out others and always wanting to learn from the experience of the people around him."

When James Trethewy first joined the college, he was so intensely shy and anxious about starting his Level 3 Mechanical Engineering course that he fainted during his induction.

James was able to complete his induction and eventually went on to successfully achieve his Level 2 and Level 3 Apprenticeship qualifications in a role as engine builder with Ilmor.

His tutor, Lee Hopkins, said: "James was required to test engines, analyse faults and strip them down before making complex modifications and rebuilding them all within tight timescales. He had an inner strength that enabled him to focus on tasks and remain determined until he had solved any difficulty he encountered."

In his role as engine builder, James was sent to the United States in 2015 as part of a team helping Ilmor’s US sister company to build engines for the Indianapolis 500 race meeting. Thanks to his endeavours, he was able to help improve the performance of cars competing in the world’s most prestigious open wheel race meeting.

He continues to work for Ilmor as a motor sport engineer.

For more information about engineering courses available at Northampton College visit www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk

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