Award-winning Apprentice, David Roberts

Plaistow Plant’s David Roberts Named Apprentice of the Year by Food & Drink Federation and Best Apprentice by the Society for Food Hygiene & Technology

We are proud to share that David Roberts, Maintenance Technician at our Plaistow Plant, has been recognised as Apprentice of the Year by the Food & Drink Federation, a membership organisation that supports and advocates for food and drink manufacturers in the UK, and Best Apprentice at the Society of Food Hygiene and Technology Awards 2024.

“More than 400,000 people work in the UK food and drink manufacturing sector, so being recognised as Apprentice of the Year in the largest manufacturing sector in the UK is truly testament to the fantastic way David has approached learning at work”.

“David is a true champion for what people with drive can achieve through our apprenticeship programme.” Technical Training Manager Akash Brahmkshatriya

Our apprenticeship programme combines hands-on experience with academic training in a structured curriculum, allowing 30 employees at our Plaistow Plant, Thames Refinery and Bedford Street Office to develop skills in a variety of disciplines, ranging from business to engineering.

David’s interest in engineering was kindled at a young age. His grandfather’s career with the London Underground and his mother’s work building coaches at Ford Motor Company inspired his fascination with how things work. David’s passion continued to grow after he joined the company in 2008 as a packaging operator, a role in which he frequently worked with and learned from engineers. His natural aptitude and problem-solving skills soon led him to become a team leader. David was even temporarily assigned to our former Weissenfels Plant in Germany to train employees how to operate new packaging machines for sticks and sachets, an experience that inspired him to join our newly restarted apprenticeship scheme in 2020. It was a perfect match for David, given his affinity for practical, experiential learning.

Throughout his four years as a production apprentice, David balanced one day a week of classroom training with four days of work experience at the Plaistow Plant, learning from our talented engineers. He gained a comprehensive understanding of both mechanical and electrical engineering, working across different parts of the plant, from process utilities to the sticks, sachets and bottle lines.

“David has become a key member of the engineering team, and his colleagues often rely on his expertise,” said Maintenance Supervisor Phil Elsden. “His ability to support various departments and his willingness to step up whenever needed are some of the many positive qualities that helped David win the Apprentice of the Year award—a truly well-deserved recognition.”

After completing his apprenticeship with distinction in March of 2024, David is now a Maintenance Technician.

“If you were to ask me 15 years ago if I could imagine I would be in the position that I am in now—a college dropout and now an engineer in training—I’d say you were mad,” said David. “But I’ve learned that it’s never too late. I’m really proud of what I have achieved for myself through my apprenticeship and hope I’m a great example to other young people I work with who maybe are looking for another chance and to progress and learn.”