Apprentices from across the United Kingdom have been taking part in the annual Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Tom Nevard Memorial Competition (TNMC) held at the Defence Academy.
The weeklong residential competition saw 77 apprentices and five graduates from the MOD and wider Civil Service take part in challenges to build and design defence-related products, develop core competences, and encourage teamwork.
Alongside participants from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Defence Equipment and Support - Abbey Wood (DE&S ABW), the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), Defence Munitions Gosport, and Defence Munitions Beith, there was also first-time representation from the Defence Electronics Components Agency (DECA) and a small group piloting the concept of creating an equivalent graduate competition for the future.
Phil Rotherham, Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Technical Lead said:
This year’s competition included group and individual engineering challenges, as well as a non-engineering task, open to DE&S ABW Corporate Service Group (CSG) Degree, Digital Degree, Information Management and Information Technology (IM&IT) and Project Delivery apprentices who received a weeklong introduction to engineering course, and the chance to build and design an engineering-based project.
Apprentice Tom Rennie from Beith said:
The Tom Nevard Memorial Competition was first held in 1952, in memory of the assistant secretary of the Labour Branch of the Ministry of Supply to test the craftsmanship of apprentices. Initially held in Glasgow, it moved to the Defence Academy in 2014 where it has become an annual event, delivered as a joint MOD/contractor initiative.