Rolls-Royce employee wins Inspirational Technician Award 15 December 2011

Nikki Cusworth, a quality improvement technician at Rolls-Royce, has won the UK's first Inspirational Technician Award, supported by young people's charity STEMNET and Lord Sainsbury's Gatsby Foundation.

She received the award for her work mentoring local school girls interested in technical careers, and introducing primary school children to fun engineering-related projects, such as paper bridge-building exercises in the classroom.

Cusworth will now help inspire young people to look at career opportunities on offer to technicians working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in the UK.

Accepting the award, Cusworth said: "If I am successful in encouraging others to follow in my footsteps, it is because I get excited when I talk about my job. As a technician, you are really valued by your employers and I hope that, by working with young people, I can inspire them to find a rewarding career, which they will love as much as I do."

The introduction of the Inspirational Technician Award follows recognition from government of a shortage of technicians, particularly in STEM areas in the UK.

Last year's National Strategic Skills Audit described the role of technicians as a 'high priority area of critical importance to the economy'. Through this new award, STEMNET and Gatsby say they aim to improve public perceptions of a profession in high demand by employers.

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Rolls-Royce

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