The latest graduates of the AGCO Apprenticeship Scheme were honoured at a recent awards ceremony at the Forest of Arden Hotel, near Birmingham.

As the first agricultural engineering apprentices in the country to have completed the recently introduced and rigorous end-point assessment (EPA), 14 AGCO engineering apprenticeships passed through the tough new national apprenticeship standards in 2019, and were recognised during an awards ceremony that saw joint-winners named for the overall Apprentice of the Year Award.

Joint Apprentice of the Year winner Matthew Read of Brian Robinson Machinery, with AGCO director of distribution management UK & Ireland, Mark Casement

Matthew Read of Brian Robinson Machinery in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, and William Ogg of Peacock & Binnington (P&B) were named joint winners of the Apprentice of the Year title, receiving their awards from AGCO director of distribution management UK & Ireland, Mark Casement.

William Ogg of Peacock & Binnington receiving his joint Apprentice of the Year title from Mark Casement

Addressing the guests and graduates during the presentation, Mark Casement said, "It is essential we continue to build confidence in our dealerships, and you are now at the start of that route in your careers.

"The level of technology is at the cutting edge, and that transformation will continue over the next 10 to 20 years, and you are the lifeblood of that progression,” he explained.

Mark spoke of AGCO’s commitment to performance and service being key to delivering the ambitious sales objectives. “We have fantastic dealerships and partners, and building relationships at all levels is crucial to the integrity of the industry. We always want to create long-term bonds with our customers,” he added.

Martin Hamer, manager, national sales Fendt UK & Ireland added, “We can’t sell a second tractor to a customer if the first has not been serviced and maintained to the highest standards. I would like to thank you, for making my life as a salesman much easier!”

In its 21st-year, AGCO’s industry recognised dealer apprenticeship scheme, in partnership with WCG, combines classroom and workshop-based training at WCG’s Moreton Morrell campus, with practical on-going training at the apprentices’ dealership.

Tim Hutchinson, course leader of the AGCO apprenticeship scheme at WCG commented, “One of the key benefits of the scheme and the course is that it is a combined effort. The apprentices on the course want to succeed and they can see a clear career path. Their dealerships and AGCO therefore equally benefit from committed and skilled technicians joining their teams at the end of their training.”

Also collecting awards during the ceremony were Ryan Thorne of CJ Cox, Dominic Pender of Wilfred Scruton, Andrew Ford of TNS and Kyle MacBain of Chandlers Farm Equipment.