A 19-year-old groundworker apprentice from leading Shropshire construction company McPhillips has been recognised regionally as an up and coming talent in the industry.

Kai Ginifer, who has been with McPhillips for two years, was named Most Promising Apprentice 2025 at the CECA West Midlands Awards.

He was handed his award by Sean McCormick, a former McPhillips apprentice and employee, making the occasion even more special for the young groundworker.

Kai recently completed his NVQ Level 2 in Construction Operations at Telford College and has gained an impressive collection of industry certifications during his apprenticeship, including his CPCS Red Card, CSCS Skilled Worker card, and specialist confined space operations training.

The apprentice has been working primarily on McPhillips' Dudley Road Improvement Scheme in Birmingham, where he has gained experience across diverse construction tasks including road surfacing, utility works, and drainage.

Paul Inions, managing director of McPhillips, said: “We're incredibly proud of Kai's achievement. This award recognises not just his technical skills and qualifications, but his exceptional work ethic and commitment to learning from the ground up.

“Kai represents exactly what we look for in our apprentices – someone who understands that to become an effective site manager in the future, you need comprehensive, hands-on experience of every aspect of construction work. His maturity and strategic approach to his career development is remarkable for someone so young.”

Stuart Bishop, SHEQ manager at McPhillips who oversees the company's award-winning apprenticeship programme, said: “Kai has shown outstanding dedication throughout his apprenticeship. His site manager describes him as having 'an old head

on young shoulders' and it's clear he has the potential to progress into senior roles within the company.

“What sets Kai apart is his hunger for knowledge and his willingness to take on additional training opportunities. He's now as qualified as any gang member, which is impressive recognition for a 19-year-old apprentice.”

Kai's achievements come as McPhillips continues to invest in apprenticeships, having recruited five new apprentices in 2025. Around 30 per cent of the company's current 240-strong workforce has graduated through its in-house apprenticeship programme, delivered in partnership with Telford College.

Kai's success follows in the footsteps of previous award winners, including Luke Courtnell, who progressed from apprentice to assistant site manager and was named Apprentice of the Year in the 2024 Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Apprenticeship Awards.

McPhillips, which celebrates more than 60 years in business, has delivered more than 140 projects as principal contractor with a value of £300million in the last five years.