Polestar Apprentice Wins National Award Again

For the second year running, an apprentice on the Polestar apprenticeship scheme has won the trainee of the year award in the people in print awards.

For the second year running, an apprentice on the Polestar apprenticeship scheme has won the trainee of the year award in the people in print awards.

Nineteen-year-old Matthew Lightfoot of Polestar Chantry collected his trophy at the awards ceremony in London, accompanied by his managing director, Lindsay Atkinson, operations director Mark Bonser and human resources manager Nicky Bunfield.

In the 2005 awards, Hisham Al-Bizri, an apprentice at Polestar Greaves received the same accolade.

Lightfoot joined the Polestar Group in January 2004 as a member of the first intake to the apprenticeship scheme.

Within the next six months, he will complete the programme, although he has already been effectively working as part of the crew on the G14/1 cover press at the company's Wakefield plant.

His success on the scheme was slow to start as it was discovered that he suffered from a form of dyslexia, previously undiagnosed and resulting in very poor performances in his early exams.

With the group's help, he has received the appropriate help and will finish the programme on schedule.

Darrin Stevens, Polestar Group training director, said: "Matthew has shown both maturity and determination over the last two years, overcoming a difficult situation to catch up with and, in some cases, overtake his peers.

We were pleased to be able to help with his dyslexia and it is great to see him thrive in the workplace as a result.

I am delighted that Matthew has been chosen for this award, as recognition of his hard work.".

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