At this year’s Pump Industry Awards, John Crane was proud to be recognised with two awards that reflect an important priority for our business and for the wider industry: developing the skills, talent and capability needed for the future.
We were honoured to receive the Contribution to Skills & Training award for our partnership with the University of Sheffield, and the Rising Star Award was presented to Luke Norris, Apprentice to Engineer Level III. Together, these awards recognise not only achievement, but also the value of long-term investment in people, practical learning and the partnerships that help turn potential into capability.
The Pump Industry Awards are an important fixture in the sector calendar. They bring together businesses, engineers, educators and industry leaders to celebrate innovation, technical progress and the individuals making a difference across the industry. Recognition at these awards carries weight because it reflects the priorities and judgement of the sector itself. For John Crane, these two wins were particularly meaningful because they speak to a challenge that affects all of us: the engineering skills gap.
Across industry, there is increasing pressure to attract, develop and retain the next generation of engineers. This matters not only for the future of individual businesses, but for the resilience and competitiveness of the sectors we support. Energy, process industries and manufacturing all depend on highly skilled engineers who can work safely, think critically and operate effectively in complex environments. As technologies evolve and customer expectations increase, the demand for that capability will only grow.
That is why the Contribution to Skills & Training award is so significant. Our partnership with the University of Sheffield is built around a clear principle: strong engineering capability is developed through a combination of academic learning and real-world experience. It is not enough to focus only on theory, and it is not enough to rely solely on practical exposure. The strongest outcomes come when the two are brought together in a way that prepares people for the realities of the workplace.
This partnership helps create that bridge. It supports structured learning, collaboration and exposure to practical engineering challenges, helping students and early-career engineers develop the technical understanding, confidence and commercial awareness needed to succeed. It also reflects a broader belief that industry and academia have a shared role to play in addressing the skills gap. When businesses engage meaningfully with educational institutions, they help ensure learning remains relevant, connected and aligned to the needs of modern industry.
For John Crane, this is not a side initiative. It is part of a wider commitment to investing in future capability. The industries we serve rely on performance, reliability and safety, and that depends on people as much as technology. Supporting the development of engineering talent is therefore not only the right thing to do, but also essential to long-term success.
Alongside the partnership award, it was also fantastic to see Luke Norris recognised with the Rising Star Award. Luke’s achievement is a powerful example of why apprenticeships and early-career development matter. His journey from apprentice to engineer reflects the impact of hands-on learning, structured support and the opportunities that can be created when individuals are given the right environment to grow.
Awards like Rising Star are important because they bring visibility to the human side of engineering development. Behind every successful apprenticeship or training programme is an individual who has committed time, energy and effort to learning their trade, building confidence and stepping up to new challenges. Luke’s award recognises his dedication and progress, but it also highlights the wider value of apprenticeship pathways in helping to develop the engineers our industry needs.
There is sometimes a tendency to discuss the skills gap in broad, strategic terms. While that is important, it can make the issue feel distant or abstract. Stories like Luke’s remind us that the solution is built one person at a time, through practical development, mentoring, trust and experience. They also show that there are multiple routes into engineering, and that apprenticeships can provide a highly effective pathway for people to build meaningful, long-term careers.
From John Crane’s perspective, these award wins are encouraging not simply because they recognise good work already underway, but because they reinforce the importance of continuing to invest in this area. Developing talent requires commitment, patience and collaboration. It means creating environments where people can learn by doing, where experience is shared, and where potential is recognised early and nurtured over time.
It also requires businesses to think beyond immediate hiring needs and consider their role in building the broader pipeline of capability for the future. Partnerships with universities, apprenticeship pathways and support for early-career talent are all part of that. They are not standalone initiatives. Together, they form a more connected and sustainable approach to skills development.
The two awards John Crane received at this year’s Pump Industry Awards recognise different aspects of that same commitment. One celebrates the strength of partnership and structured development. The other celebrates the achievement of an individual who has made the most of those opportunities. Both matter. Both point to the same conclusion: if we want a strong future for our industry, we must continue to invest in people.
For John Crane, that remains a priority. We are proud of what these awards represent, proud of the teams and individuals behind them, and proud to play a part in supporting the next generation of engineering talent.
In an industry shaped by performance, reliability and innovation, the future will be built not only by the technologies we develop, but by the people we help develop too.