Talented twosome flying high

C-TEC is celebrating the phenomenal success of two of its young employees.

When Rachael Wignall and Paul Sanders joined C-TEC as Modern Apprentices, they knew very little about manufacturing. Eight years on, the talented twosome have a host of qualifications to their names and play vital roles at the company, a specialist manufacturer of life safety equipment.

Rachael joined C-TEC as a 17 year-old apprentice, and quickly became involved in the testing of new product innovations such as our revolutionary AVAC voice alarm system. Winner of Young Manufacturer of the Year in 2006, an award which recognises high achievement, advocacy, leadership and enthusiasm for manufacturing, Rachael now heads up our cell technical support team and is an ambassador for the Manufacturing Institute, touring local schools in a bid to encourage young people to choose manufacturing as a career.

Says Rachael: “The last eight years have been amazing. I would like to thank everyone at C-TEC for their support, training and advice which has helped me so much with my career success.”

Paul came to C-TEC straight from school with nine GCSEs and soon became one of the rising stars of C-TEC’s R&D department. Located at a separate facility in Mawdesley, the R&D department is where the company’s innovative fire alarm, nursecall systems and voice alarms are created and designed. Now 25, Paul has just been awarded a First Class Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Says Paul: “C-TEC actively encouraged me to attain further academic qualifications to aid my career. I am hugely grateful for the financial and personal support I received during the five years it took to complete my degree.”

In his role of design engineer, Paul has been instrumental in developing several new products including a flagship new product which turns over half a million pounds a year.

Comments Stephen Collier, C-TEC's Manufacturing Director, “Rachael and Paul’s achievements are testament to C-TEC’s commitment to investing in people. We hope to run our very successful apprentice-training scheme next year and will be on the look-out for more outstanding applicants to enroll on the scheme”.

Photograph features (from left to right): Stephen Collier, Rachael Wignall and Paul Sanders.