Our Trustees

Richard has been an engineer for his entire career. He graduated in 1997 with a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge. His principal area of professional expertise is cryogenics. He has worked on projects as diverse as a cryogenic liquid distribution depot right through to ultra-low temperature sample environments for quantum computing.

He first became involved with apprenticeships in engineering in 2005 when he was asked to manage the apprentice team at Oxford Instruments NanoScience. Over the next 10 years, it was his privilege to coach and manage the development of some amazing young people. All of them have gone onto high profile roles, within Oxford Instruments and beyond.

Richard’s first contact with The Engineering Trust was through the NanoScience training scheme and he quickly recognised that the Trust offers unique added value to Modern Apprenticeships through the high quality of the Training Officers and the excellent support offered throughout the Apprenticeship. He became a Trustee for the first time in 2012 and, after a break when he was working overseas, again in 2016.

Richard is currently the Manufacturing Director at Oxford Lasers and is responsible for all Operations and Engineering for the company. Oxford Lasers also uses the Engineering Trust for apprentice training and the company has developed its apprentice team to support this growing business.

In addition to supporting engineering through the Trust, Richard is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and is a past chair of their Thames Valley Members Group.

'Engineering is an essential skill, and our role as experienced engineers is to support and encourage the next generation of engineering talent. As a Trustee I am proud to support the leadership of the Engineering Trust in promoting and achieving this aim. I believe that an apprenticeship in engineering provides an excellent foundation for a great career, and anyone who undertakes this training can and will go onto achieve great things'.
 

Sarah is Co-founder and Director of High Spec Composites Ltd, an award-winning SME manufacturing high-specification carbon fibre components and aluminium tooling for industry leaders worldwide, specialising in Motorsport and Bespoke Projects.

Sarah studied English Language and Literature at The University of the West of England in Bristol, before embarking on an unexpected, yet progressive career in Composites.

In 2010, she and her partner combined their skills and passions to launch High Spec, now supplying carbon fibre projects to high-end clients across the globe in Motorsport, Aerospace, Automotive, Medical, Military, Competition Sports and Bespoke sectors. 

Sarah is primarily responsible for business planning and development, finance, employment, and training; She has continually grown the company through the strategic inclusion of apprenticeships and in recent years has used The Engineering Trust as their trusted training provider. Many of High Spec Composites apprentices have continued into roles within leadership and management, with others launching into exciting positions within Formula One teams.   

Having won ‘Apprenticeship of the Year’ in 2016 at the Cherwell Business Awards, Sarah became a founding committee member for the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards representing SMEs and celebrating star apprentices across the county. She has been appointed the Enterprise Adviser for The Bicester School and Bicester Technology Studio, supporting the schools at a strategic level, identifying gaps in the careers provision, and developing a plan for the future. Sarah also forms part of OxLEP’s Business Support Sub-Group which is charged with developing a strategic and coordinated approach to business support activities.

Sarah was awarded Oxfordshire’s ‘Young Businessperson of the Year’ at OXBAs in 2019 and has since used the platform as a means to promote and encourage young women in Business and Engineering. 

‘I have learnt first-hand the limitations of gaining certification without work experience, and I’ve also been privileged to learn a lot in recent years about the growing opportunities within Engineering sectors and through apprenticeships. I hope to use my position on the board of Trustees to further promote these exciting pathways to young people and help individuals to become more knowledgeable of, and prepared for, careers in Engineering.’

Nick Locke is the founder and Managing Director of Nicab Ltd one of the UK’s leading Bespoke Cable Assembly Companies and Apprentice Employer who believes developing the next generation of apprentices is key to the UK’s engineering sector and the future of global technology.

Originally with a background in IT Nick always had a passion for Engineering and Manufacturing which led him to specialise in Cable Assembly where he is able to support many industry sectors such as Medical, Military and Industrial to name but a few.

Nick believes that working in Engineering and having a passion for something you love means whatever your background you can achieve your ambitions and is an ardent advocate for delivering this message to local schools and educational institutions.

Being a Trustee of the Engineering Trust is part of giving back and helping deliver the message that Engineering is the future.