A young engineer from a Stevenage bus operator has clinched a prestigious national award for excellence.
Ryan Crick, of Stagecoach East, won the Best Newcomer Award at the Stagecoach Excellence Awards ceremony held in London.
The accolade was presented to the talented technician by Tony Cockcroft, asset management director of Stagecoach, at a gala dinner at the London Transport Museum.
As a vehicle technician, Ryan plays a vital role in maintaining and repairing the bus operator's modern fleet.
Since joining Stagecoach, he's demonstrated remarkable commitment, enthusiasm, and a knack for constant learning and growth.
His spirit and determination have been heralded as "a breath of fresh air."
He's been praised for his zeal to outperform expectations and has displayed exceptional initiative and resourcefulness, despite being new to his role.
Peter Collins, engineering manager at Stagecoach East, said: "Since joining our team, he has made an outstanding impression with his dedication, enthusiasm, and positive attitude.
"He is a real inspiration and I hope that he will inspire more young people, who have an interest in engineering, to learn their trade here at Stagecoach East.
"His positive attitude and collaborative nature have had a significant impact on team morale.
"His ability to foster a sense of camaraderie and teamwork has been invaluable in creating a positive work environment for everyone."
Ryan's success was also mirrored by three of his Stagecoach East colleagues who were finalists at the awards ceremony: Lisa Lowther, driver, for the Lifetime Achievement Award; Peter Collins for the Green Champion Award; and Ross Barnes, project data analyst for the Outstanding Innovation Award.
This latest win comes soon after Stagecoach East was recognised as an apprenticeships Top 50 employer, scoring 42nd on the national league tables identifying England’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2023.
Earlier in the same year, Stagecoach East was also one of the 120 employers to gain the five per cent Club’s Gold Standard, receiving Gold Membership status for 2023-2024 for the second year in a row.
This accolade is in recognition of the operators’ continuous, substantial contribution to employee development through "earn & learn" initiatives such as apprenticeships and graduate schemes.
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