AN award-winning Stourbridge engineer has added another accolade to her list after picking up a National Apprenticeship Service prize.

Emma Goulding has been recognised as one of the top apprentices in the region for her work at Siemens after receiving the EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year.

The awards, now in their 13th year, showcase many success stories and the benefits of apprenticeships, with winners having to fight off tough competition by demonstrating they have made a significant contribution to their workplaces.

Emma, who received the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award last December, said: “I chose an engineering apprenticeship because I believed this was a very versatile career path – you can earn, learn and work all at the same time.

“Throughout my apprenticeship I have been able to work alongside industry professionals which is absolutely fantastic, as it has allowed me to become a competent individual within a range of technical engineering applications.

“I’m currently being sponsored by my company to undertake a mechanical engineering degree, which is something I never realised an apprenticeship could offer.

“I truly believe that apprenticeships offer a genuine learning experience that allow individuals a world of opportunity within their chosen profession.”

Emma and her fellow regional award winners will now battle it out to be named the national winner, which will be announced at a ceremony in London on January 20, 2017.

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service, added: “These winners are the best of the best in the Midlands. I congratulate each and every one of them on their success and for those heading to the national finals, the very best of luck.”