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Agemaspark Apprentices Shortlisted for Prestigious National Metals Industry Award

Agemaspark Ltd 17/03/2026

Agemaspark is proud to announce that Workshop Managers Paul Preskey and Sam Buxton have been shortlisted for the highly prestigious Metals Industry Apprentice of the Year awards run by The Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers.

Now in its 27th year, the competition celebrates exceptional apprentices across the UK metals sector and highlights the vital contribution they make to their organisations and the wider industry. The awards recognise excellence in both career development and craft skills, rewarding individuals who demonstrate outstanding progress, technical expertise and meaningful business impact.

Interviews for the awards will take place on Wednesday 1st April at The Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield, with winners announced at the official Court Dinner in London on 12th May 2026.

Both shortlisted candidates have followed the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager apprenticeship route while progressing into key leadership roles within Agemaspark.

Sam Buxton has demonstrated exceptional development as a leader, combining strong technical foundations with growing strategic and people management capability. During his apprenticeship, he has played a central role in strengthening Agemaspark’s quality systems and operational governance, including leading improvements to ISO 9001 processes and supporting the company’s successful Fit For Nuclear accreditation. Known for his calm, consistent leadership style, Sam has also introduced more structured performance and appraisal frameworks, helping to build engagement, accountability and long-term capability within the team.

Paul Preskey has similarly delivered significant impact, progressing from a strong engineering background into a confident operational leader. Achieving a Distinction in his apprenticeship alongside a CMI Level 5 Diploma, he has implemented structured KPIs, introduced a Continuous Strategic Improvement Plan, and enhanced communication through regular team briefings and feedback cycles. He also played a key leadership role in securing Fit For Nuclear status, positioning the business for growth in high-integrity sectors such as nuclear.

Paul Stockhill, Managing Director of Agemaspark, commented:

“We are incredibly proud to see both Paul and Sam shortlisted for such a respected industry award. Their dedication, work ethic and commitment to continuous improvement embody everything we stand for at Agemaspark. They have not only developed outstanding technical and leadership capability, but have also made a measurable impact on the business. This recognition is thoroughly deserved and reflects the strength of talent we are building for the future.”

Paul and Sam are part of Agemaspark’s long-term leadership succession plan, their development through apprenticeship pathways highlights the company’s commitment to investing in people and building sustainable engineering leadership from within.

The Metals Industry Apprentice of the Year awards aim to raise awareness of the critical role apprentices play in the metals sector, with previous winners going on to achieve significant operational and leadership positions across the industry.