The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) was delighted to welcome the finalists of the 2026 Rising Star Apprentice Award to Norsk Hydro’s Tibshelf site for this year’s Assessment Day, bringing together some of the UK’s brightest emerging talent from across the aluminium supply chain.
The day began with an insightful tour of Hydro’s Tibshelf facility, led by Mark Barker, UK HSE Coordinator & Sustainability Manager at Norsk Hydro. Finalists were given a first-hand look at the site’s operations, including the extrusion press that forms the heart of the Tibshelf plant, offering valuable insight into one of the UK’s leading aluminium extrusion facilities.
Following the site tour, finalists were challenged to put their teamwork, problem-solving and creativity skills to the test in a light-hearted but competitive team-building exercise: the Spaghetti Tower Challenge.
Split into two teams, participants were tasked with constructing the tallest and strongest tower possible using only spaghetti and marshmallows. To be successful, each tower needed to support two marshmallows and an ALFED team flag, requiring careful planning, collaboration and a steady hand.
The teams consisted of:
Team Spaghetti Superstars
- Megan Anstee, Norsk Hydro
- Ben Dale, EMR Group UK
- Perez Mills-Andoh, Jenks & Cattell Engineering
Team Aluminium Superstars
- Amy Reynolds, BOAL Extrusion UK
- Heidi Pickles, Righton Blackburns
- Jamie Hassall, ABL Aluminium Components
After plenty of brainstorming, testing and refinement, the Spaghetti Superstars emerged victorious. Their impressive combination of height, structural integrity and ability to withstand the meeting room air conditioning secured them first place in the challenge.
However, while the spaghetti towers attracted plenty of attention, the primary focus of the day lay elsewhere. Throughout the afternoon, finalists individually met with the judging panel to discuss their apprenticeship journeys, personal achievements and future ambitions within the aluminium industry.
The assessment interviews were conducted by a panel comprising representatives from ALFED’s Aluminium Allies initiative, including:
- George Bain, George Bain Consulting Ltd
- Lucy Thomas, Hydro Wrexham
- Andy Smith, The Metal Centre
The interviews provided an opportunity for finalists to showcase the dedication, innovation and commitment that have earned them a place among this year’s finalists.
ALFED’s Industry & Skills Development Manager, Rachel Wiffen commented:
“The quality of the finalists was exceptional, and it was inspiring to hear about their achievements, ambitions and apprenticeship journeys. It was encouraging to see the enthusiasm of the apprentices as well as the commitment of their mentors and employers supporting their development. Today’s apprentices are tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and skilled professionals, and events like this play an important role in celebrating their achievements and inspiring the next generation to follow in their footsteps. I left the day feeling uplifted and excited about the future of the aluminium industry.”
ALFED would like to extend its sincere thanks to Mark Barker and the Norsk Hydro team for hosting the event, as well as George Bain, Lucy Thomas and Andy Smith for their time and support as members of the interview panel.
Most importantly, congratulations go to all six finalists for their outstanding contributions to their organisations and for the professionalism, enthusiasm and talent they demonstrated throughout the day.
The winner of the 2026 ALFED Rising Star Apprentice Award will be announced at the ALFED Annual Business Briefing and Dinner, taking place at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon, on Thursday 24 September 2026.
With such an exceptional group of finalists, the judges certainly have a difficult decision ahead of them.
Stay tuned for the winner announcement later this month.
