A young apprentice at Impact Ducting Sales has won the title of electro-mechanical apprentice of the year at Leicester College.

Oliver Gratrix, 21, of the duct and sheet metal manufacturer, was named the winner at the college’s engineering awards.

He said: “I’m really happy and surprised.

“I think it will be good for my career as it showed that I am hard-working.”

Melvyn Randell, senior director at Impact Ducting Sales, based in Knighton Fields, said: “Since he joined us from school four years ago, Oliver has completed his fabrication and welding apprenticeship. I was very impressed with his work.”

Oliver was nominated by engineering programme leader Lee Smith who said he had shown “exceptional engineering skills”.

The other winners at the awards ceremony included Andrew Thwaites for the automotive apprentice of the year award, Rob Batson for the overall engineering student of the year award, Ian Frost for the electro-mechanical full time student of the year award and James Russ for the automotive full time student of the year award.