NETA learners celebrated success at The Welding Institute Teesside Branch annual awards.

Aaron, Kane and Jack were among those to make the shortlist for the coveted titles which highlight the next generation of welders.

And there was plenty to shout about as Aaron was named winner of the City and Guilds Learner Award and Kane titled Apprentice of the Year, while Jack was runner up in the Best Practical Welder category.

NETA’s head of department for engineering, Paul Turnbull, said: “It was great to be able to highlight the achievements of a selection of our students and apprentices studying with NETA.

“For two of them to go on to win and be recognised by The Welding Institute was fantastic.”

The awards were announced at The Welding Institute’s awards dinner at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough.

Aaron, 17, who is among our ECITB scholarship students, said: “When I first got nominated, I was shocked and thrilled as there are a lot of top welders and hard workers at NETA.

“To go on and win was just overwhelming.  I never thought I’d be nominated so to win was fantastic, but I couldn’t have done it without the welding staff and students at NETA who have helped me to get to this point.”

Describing why he chose to study welding, he said: “The opportunities that are up for grabs are brilliant especially apprenticeships.”

And quick to sing the praises of NETA, he added: “The skills and qualifications you can get studying welding at NETA are a huge bonus, especially with the ECITB scholarship.”

To find out more about full-time engineering courses and apprenticeship training opportunities at NETA visit: www.neta.co.uk