A LOWESTOFT company has won high praise for the way it uses apprentices and develops their skills.LEC Marine (Klyne), based at Cumberland Place, off Whapload Road, was highly commended in the Small Employer of the Year Award category at the East of England Apprenticeship Awards, held at Newmarket last week.

A LOWESTOFT company has won high praise for the way it uses apprentices and develops their skills.

LEC Marine (Klyne), based at Cumberland Place, off Whapload Road, was highly commended in the Small Employer of the Year Award category at the East of England Apprenticeship Awards, held at Newmarket last week.

The annual awards, organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), seek to celebrate apprentices who have made a real difference to their future and to the organisation they work for. Employers committed to hiring apprentices in order to create a well-trained, enthusiastic and skilled workforce are also honoured.

The winners, and highly commended entrants, were presented with their awards by ESPN sports presenter and former professional footballer Ray Stubbs at an event held at Newmarket Racecourse.

On being presented with the company's award, Mark Sawyer, managing director of LEC Marine (Klyne), said he believed the company's use of apprentices showed it was committed to developing the careers of young people.

'Apprentices give us a lot of benefits, not only the skills base we need but the opportunity to grow the business. Apprentices please me most with the dedication they show, the professionalism and the maturity. Apprenticeships are the way forward!'

Mr Sawyer said LEC Marine, which specialises in technical electrical installations, aimed to build a skilled workforce by continually

training new engineers through apprenticeships.

The company currently offers electricity industry and marine industry apprenticeships and currently employs three apprentices.

In selecting the employer winners, the judges looked for companies who could clearly show the benefits they had gained through training their workforce via apprenticeships, and those that had the potential to act as a role model for other employers.

Jon Nay, regional apprenticeship director of the National Apprenticeship Service in the East of England, said: 'The finalists at this year's awards were all truly inspiring and the worthy winners were delighted with their awards. The stories of those who won, and those highly commended, really show the value that Apprenticeships bring.

'I'd particularly like to thank the companies presented with awards. Without employers like these, there would be no Apprenticeships. These organisations set the standard for their respective industries, leading the way toward the world class workface our region aspires to.'