TRAINEE welders, electricians, fitters and machinists are bidding to become team of the year in a national contest to find the country’s leading apprentices.

Nine apprentices from Liebherr Sunderland Works, which builds industrial cranes, have entered the Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2014, a search for the nation’s apprentice team of the year. 

The challenge, which is organised by the National Apprenticeship Service, tests apprentices on their team building, leadership, logistical and communications abilities in a series of tasks over the next few months.

As part of the project, the apprentices are working alongside The Southwick Community Project, which is part of the Salvation Army, and are putting their skills to good use by helping renovate rooms in Southwick Community Centre, as well as creating a memorial garden to commemorate World War One. 

The team has also been going into local schools to promote apprenticeships and engineering, taking a portable welding booth to give the students first-hand experience of their work at Liebherr.

More than 110 teams from across the country are taking part in the challenge.  They will be whittled down to a final eight at the House of Commons in April, and the finalists will then battle it out to be crowned apprentice team of the year. The winning team will be announced in June. 

Ralph Saelzer, managing director of Liebherr Sunderland Works, said: “We’re really delighted that our apprentices are taking part in this challenge. 

“The work they do is fantastic, so it’s good that they have the opportunity to put their skills to use in a way that benefits the community, put also allows them to test themselves against other apprentices across the North East.”

Godfrey Owen, Chief Executive of organisers, Brathay Trust, said: “The tasks that the teams complete as part of the challenge allow the apprentices to develop a huge range of skills.  These are skills that are not only useful within the challenge but essential for the workplace.  It is good to see so many companies including Liebherr Sunderland Works engaging their apprentices in such a challenge.”

The challenge focuses on offering an enhanced apprenticeship, developing skills like team building, leadership and communications – many of which are found in the top positions within business.

Karen Woodward, from the National Apprenticeship Service said: “We are pleased to welcome Liebherr Sunderland Works into this year’s Brathay Apprentice Challenge. 

"The activities that the apprentices undertake in the challenge are part of an enhanced apprenticeship which benefits both employers and apprentices; employers gain a workforce wit transferable skills throughout the business while apprentices themselves become more employable and more likely to be promoted.”