National contractor Collins Earthwork have announced their endorsement of the 2022 UK Plant Operators Magazine, Plant Operator of the Year campaign.
The competition, returning for its second year, will hold finals day at O’Brien’s Sand Quarry in Leighton Buzzard on Saturday September 10th, 2022.
With over 200 applications from plant operators across the UK, the process is well underway to arrive at a final 30 competitors.
Collins Earthworks employ over 350 full time plant operators, each of whom are allocated a dedicated machine from within the machine fleet. A line up which is dominated by manufacturers such as Caterpillar, Volvo, JCB and New Holland.
Company Director David Collins said “By endorsing the 2022 UK Plant Operator of the Year competition, we are aligning our own philosophy with that of the campaign. We look forward to working in tandem with UK Plant Operators Magazine to celebrate the role, drive the continued safety and wellbeing of plant operators in addition to attracting people from all backgrounds to the industry”.
With the business experiencing rapid grow, the skills gap is, as it is across the industry an ongoing challenge. Collins Groundworks has a long-established training capability that both recruits, and retrains plant operators, ensuring the business is best placed to match demand.
Collins Earthworks Plant Supervisor Nathan Warner said, “We have a recruitment run rate of approx. 15-20 people per month. Half of this number will be recruited and trained to CPCS standard the remaining will all be qualified and ready to go to work. We are pleased to see and delighted to welcome, the growing number or young people and especially the number of women that are applying for Plant Operator roles within the business. Our endorsement of the 2022 UK Plant Operators Magazine, Operator of the Year can only strengthen our position”.
Critically Collins Earthworks have confirmed the entry of five of their top operators into the 2022 competition, each of whom will be competing for not only the £10,000 first prize but to be champion operator of 2022.
Finally UK Plant Operators publisher and event organiser Brian Coogan said: “Collins Earthworks have gone one significant step further here with their endorsement of the 2022 campaign. Their commitment to entering five operators is a real statement that is most welcome. We look forward to welcoming them to the competition and finals day on September 10th.”
Whilst this year’s competition is now closed for operators, you can still come along and watch the event. With one eye perhaps on entering in 2023.
CLICK HERE to book your tickets today.
