An up-and-coming young Thornaby welder has kept a promise to his grandmother by bringing home a national industry title.

Apprentice Aaron Porter was named ECITB Scholar of the Year at an exclusive awards ceremony at the National Science Museum in London.

“None of it felt real,” said the 18-year-old from Thornaby, who was put forward for the award by his welding instructors at Stockton’s NETA Training.

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“I had been happy to even be nominated and then to be a finalist. I never expected anything more because of the talent I was up against. The event itself felt like a once in a lifetime experience.”

For him the accolade also honoured a promise made to his grandmother who recently lost her battle to pancreatic cancer.

Aaron said: “I had promised her that I would make her proud as she helped make me into the person I am today.”

Former Thornaby Academy pupil Aaron found himself in the running after impressing the team at NETA, where he was introduced to the skills of his trade on an ECITB-backed welding scholarship.

The industry-led programme, which came with a term-time weekly pay packet, was delivered at NETA in response to predicted future regional skills gaps.

He continued to put in the leg work, going on to win The Welding Institute Teesside branch City and Guilds’ Learner of the Year and securing an apprenticeship with Wilton Engineering this year.

With his proud dad by his side at the red-carpet event, and his mum, brothers, and sister all rooting for him at home, Aaron said: “My family were overwhelmed. I couldn’t be prouder to represent NETA and Wilton Engineering because of the belief they have in me.”

NETA’s head of engineering Paul Turnbull said: “We saw the potential in him when he first joined us on the scholarship programme. His hard work and commitment since then has been outstanding. We are incredibly proud and look forward to seeing what comes next.”

 

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