Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards hail industry’s rising stars as winners announced

Some of the brightest stars in West Yorkshire’s manufacturing and engineering sectors have been honoured, as employers gathered to celebrate the next generation of talent at a sold-out Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards ceremony, held at Leeds Beckett University.

Now in their fourth year, the awards have become a standout feature of the festival, marking the exceptional contributions of people working in the sector and, in particular younger people, to the future of manufacturing, which continues to face ongoing skills and recruitment challenges.

At this year’s awards, the Apprentice of the Year title went to Eesa Mahmood, an apprentice fabricator and welder at prefabricated pipework manufacturer Waites Mechanical Services, who impressed judges with his commitment both to his apprenticeship and to developing complementary new skills. “Eesa really is a great role model to fellow apprentices, and his brilliant attitude shines through,” said judges from manufacturing skills charity Enginuity, which sponsors the category.

Isabelle Pearce, UK delivery lead at sustainable packaging business, DS Smith, and Kiera Barrass, engineering operative apprentice at Leeds Welding Company, were named joint winners in the Rising Stars category, sponsored by digital skills organisation Made Smarter Yorkshire & Humber. The judges said Isabelle had reframed how DS Smith views sustainability in its UK operations, adding: “To be in a role of this nature is a remarkable accomplishment for someone so early in her career.”

The first female welder at Leeds Welding Company, Keira was singled out for the award for her sense of ownership and personal pride in her work and the way she has risen to the challenge of integrating into a male-dominated workforce with maturity and determination. “For her determination, resilience, and growth, Kiera truly deserves this award,” said Lois Holliday, QSHE manager at Leeds Welding Company.

The Future Manufacturing Leader award was scooped by Matthew Lambert, a senior sustainability engineer at textile firm AW Hainsworth who has been with the business for nine years. Becky Gardner, SME Engagement Manager at Leeds Beckett University, which sponsored the category, said: “From leading on sustainability to delivering real change at Hainsworth, Matthew’s passion and impact are clear and he is an inspiring example of the future of manufacturing.”

This year’s Employer of the Year, sponsored by E3 Recruitment, was glass-reinforced plastics manufacturer MPM, headed by managing director Ben Wilson. Matt Booth, associate director at E3 Recruitment, said: “Ben and the leadership team at MPM have shown that businesses can really thrive by investing time and energy into their people, treating everyone as an individual and opening doors for those who might not have been given a look-in-elsewhere.”

He added: “MPM have built a team that delivers real solutions to their customers without losing sight of the human side of work. They’ve created a place where everyone can grow, where ideas matter, and where people feel like they’re part of something bigger.”

Nick Robinson, new product implementation leader at MPM, was also the winner of the Manufacturing Leader award, presented for the first time this year and sponsored by Leeds City Council. Nick, who joined the business in 2010, was praised by judges for having matured as a leader. “He has played a key role in new product development and implementation and has a big part to play in mentoring MPM’s future stars in manufacturing and engineering,” they said.

Special Manufacturing Ambassador awards, sponsored by Made In Yorkshire, were also given to Cameron Pinder, who won the gold medal at World Skills UK and is an engineering apprentice at medical and veterinary instruments manufacturer Kirkstall Precision Engineering, and Mitch Scott, former head of the School of Engineering at Leeds City College.

Cameron was described as “a remarkable young man and a shining example of what the sector is looking for in the next generation,” while judges paid tribute to Mitch Scott’s “determination to do her very best for students, driving engagement between the college, its staff and local manufacturing businesses.”