AN APPRENTICE electrician has dedicated his win to his late father after taking a prestigious regional award at his second attempt.
Darlington College student Isaac Chapman believes his dad Nathan was looking down on him as he took part in the SPARKS Handbook Learner of the Year skills contest.
“There were certain things I hadn’t done before that I was able to do,” the 18-year-old, of Darlington said. “It just clicked and I knew how to do it properly because my dad would have known the best way.”
Nathan died suddenly after suffering two heart attacks last year aged just 42 while walking to meet his lift to work as a locomotive manufacturer electrician.
Just days after the tragedy Isaac decided to press on competing in last year’s SPARKS competition where he came third.
“I thought of pulling out but I just felt that if I didn’t compete my dad would have been disappointed in me. I was a bit distracted and wasn’t happy with my performance as I knew I could have done better.
“This year it felt a lot easier and I was thinking about my dad. I was one of only two competitors to finish in the allotted time and I think my dad would have been really pleased with me winning.”
A national contest designed to push the country’s talent out of their comfort zone, the SPARKS Learner of the Year competition is run in conjunction with a plumbing skills competition called HIP Learner of the Year.
Both are operated by SNG, the publishing house for students and apprentices. The North East heat, hosted by Gateshead College, attracted competitors from across the region and Yorkshire.
Competitors had three and a half hours to complete their electrical tests, which were set and judged by industry experts.
The heat saw them tackle a variety of jobs ranging from lighting circuits, alarms and fuse boxes.
Students were assessed on their speed, the quality of their workmanship and also the degree of waste produced completing the tasks.
Isaac has worked for In Charge Construction for the past four years and been a Level 3 electrical installation apprentice for a year.
He hopes eventually, in years to come, to launch a property development business with his brother Tristan, 19, who is also at Darlington College studying plumbing and gas installation.
“College is great and my tutor Len Cole is really supportive. Electrics have to be exactly right and you can tell Len really cares,” he said.
Programme leader for Level 2 Electrical Installation Jonny Brown said: “Having entered twice, Issac has shown real growth in resilience and confidence. The first year was about understanding the competition and learning to perform under pressure. Progress isn’t always instant, but repeated challenge builds problem‑solving skills that are vital for the sector. Issac is a great example of perseverance and striving to achieve more.”
For more information on opportunities at Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk.