Grouptyre Employee wins Modern Apprenticeship Award

Grouptyre’s Joanne Frowen is celebrating after scooping a prestigious award in recognition of her commitment to self-development. Frowen is an MOT tester with Grouptyre member King David Tyres and has won the Modern Apprenticeship Learner Award for Wales 2008. She received her award from Dennis Gunning, director of skills, higher education and lifelong learning group in the Welsh Assembly Government, at Cardiff City Hall on Thursday 23 October.

Although she originally trained to be an accountant, 22-year old Frowen gave up her course after a year to follow her dream of becoming a mechanic. She joined King David Tyres two and a half years ago and is currently working in Tredegar during the redevelopment of the company’s Neath facility, where she is usually based.

“I was thrilled to get through to the finals but didn’t really think I had any chance of winning, so I was amazed when they announced my name,” she said. “I like to have goals and then I really give it everything to achieve them. First my aim was to finish my NVQs and then to get my MOT licence and now I want to become a manager at one of the King David Tyres depots.”

The Modern Apprenticeship Awards Wales 2008 is managed by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department of Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS), and is organised to showcase modern apprentices, businesses and learning providers that have made outstanding contributions to education and training in Wales. Modern Apprenticeships in Wales are financed by the European Social Fund.

King David Tyres sales manager Paul Tucker, who accompanied Joanne to the joint Modern Apprenticeship Awards and National Training Awards ceremony, said: “We’re very proud of Joanne who, we understand, is one of around 10 female MOT testers in the country. She has made no secret of her ambitions, in fact she is already thinking about enrolling on a business management course at a local college, but is a real asset to the company and we are happy to provide the training support she needs to help her achieve her goals.”