A military veteran working for energy specialist ENGIE has been named Apprentice of the Year at this year's Wakefield Excellence in Business Awards.

Tom Hall, 29, secured the prize after taking on an apprenticeship with ENGIE, as part of the property and facilities strategic partnership with Wakefield Council.

Former Paratrooper Tom, from Ossett, spent nine years in the military, undertaking three tours of duty in Afghanistan before suffering a severe brain injury in August 2015 whilst on exercise in the UK.

After spending a year recovering in hospital, followed by another year in an Army rehabilitation centre, Tom returned home to Wakefield, where he was supported back into civilian life by local charity Second Chance Headway Centre before securing the position of Multi-skilled Apprentice with ENGIE in November 2018.

Tom said: "I applied for a few jobs, but this apprenticeship was the most attractive to me as it offers me the chance to earn a living, whilst also gaining a qualification and learning skills that will stay with me for life – it's not just a job, but an investment in my future. I liked the idea of the multi-skilled option as it gives me the opportunity to try out different trades and the work is really varied – I get involved in everything from decorating and joinery to groundworks and block paving. I'm really enjoying it and I'd definitely encourage anyone to take up an apprenticeship. I hope to secure a permanent position with ENGIE when I complete my qualification.

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"This apprenticeship has not just benefitted me career-wise though, it's also helped me in my recovery. My short-term memory has significantly improved, and I've become so much more confident since beginning in this role. My vision has also improved, which has enabled me to regain my driving licence and drive the company vans."

Tom, who studies one day a week at Wakefield College and is now in the second year of his training, is one of 42 local people who have secured an apprenticeship with the partnership over the last three years, with the latest intake of six new recruits joining in September.

Richard Carmichael, Partnership Director at ENGIE, commented: "Tom is such an asset to ENGIE and the Wakefield partnership - his story is truly inspirational, and he is a great role model for others who may have similar barriers to overcome. He has brought with him many transferable skills from his time in the Armed Forces, such as the ability to motivate and inspire his colleagues, and his positivity and energy are infectious.

"There's often a perception that apprenticeships are just for school-leavers, but Tom is proof that, if you have the motivation to do something and you really want to make a change, then there is the help out there to enable you to do it, no matter what your age or circumstances."