The winners of the Construction Plant-hire Association's (CPA) Stars of the Future Awards 2026 have been announced following the most competitive awards programme in the event's history.
Held at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre near Coventry, this year's apprentice and trainee awards achieved a record-breaking milestone, attracting 109 nominations - the highest number received since the CPA first introduced the Stars of the Future Awards in 2013.
The awards continue to showcase the outstanding talent developing across the construction plant sector, recognising the industry's future leaders in occupations including Plant Mechanics, Plant Technicians, Hire Controllers, Plant Operatives, Young Plant Operatives, Plant Installers, Crane Operatives, Technical Support People and Apprentice Mentors, together with recipients of the Judges' Special Award and Best Personal Statement Award.
This year's awards featured 25 national, regional and special award categories, making it the largest Stars of the Future programme to date. A total of 13 expert judges from the CPA and across the construction plant industry dedicated more than 1,600 hours to assessing entries.
Over 350 guests attended the awards ceremony, hosted by industry journalist, influencer and vlogger Peter Haddock. On the day, the winners of each national category were as follows:
National Plant Mechanic of the Year - Harrison Kipping-Bier, J P Dunn Construction, National Construction College East
National Plant Technician of the Year - Harun Anderson Mohammed, Finning UK & Ireland, Finning Academy
Hire Controller of the Year - Matthew Oliver, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage
Young Plant Operative of the Year - Eve Bright, Flannery Plant Hire
Plant Operative of the Year - Kovid Sawon, Flannery Plant Hire
Crane Operative of the Year - Paul Reeves, Ainscough Crane Hire
Plant Installer of the Year - Samuel Lindley, Churchill Living PLC and Rhys Bush, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage (Joint Winners)
Technical Support Person of the Year - Callum Shepherdson, Flannery Plant Hire
Individual Apprentice Mentor of the Year - Jake Davies, Wolffkran
Group Apprentice Mentor of the Year - Valon Krivenjeva, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage
Best Personal Statement Award - Mason Pooley, Sunbelt Rentals
Judges' Special Award - Hannah Ward, Finning UK & Ireland, Finning Academy
The awards ceremony was held in association with Event Sponsors GAP Group, Sunbelt Rentals and SMT GB; Award Sponsors ACOP Group, Ainscough Crane Hire, CPCS/NOCN Group, Flannery Plant Hire, Liebherr-GB, McHale Komatsu, NPORS, Southern Hoist Services and Wolffkran; Associate Sponsor JCB; and Media Partner Plant Planet.
Originally established to recognise outstanding Apprentice Plant Mechanics and Plant Technicians, Stars of the Future has evolved into the construction plant sector's premier awards programme for apprentices, trainees and emerging talent across a wide range of occupations.
CPA Chief Executive Officer Steve Mulholland said: "The continued growth of the Stars of the Future Awards demonstrates the incredible commitment our industry is making to developing the next generation of skilled professionals. Receiving a record 109 nominations and seeing such an exceptionally high standard of entries made this our most competitive year ever.
"Every nominee should be immensely proud of their achievements, and congratulations go to all of this year's winners. It is particularly rewarding to see so many previous Stars of the Future winners progressing into senior roles across the industry, proving the lasting impact these awards can have on careers.
"We are also extremely grateful to our sponsors, whose support enables us to recognise and reward excellence across the sector. This year's winners received an outstanding range of prizes, including professional toolboxes, iPads, certified training courses and two overseas study trips to Germany. Finally, sincere thanks go to our 13 judges, who collectively dedicated more than 1,600 hours to the judging process, reflecting the care and diligence required in what was undoubtedly our toughest competition to date."
On the day, Richard Holden, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, sent a message to all nominees via video link. He said: “Congratulations to everyone shortlisted for the Stars of the Future Awards this year. What you've achieved, the skills that you've developed, the dedication that you've shown, is something to be genuinely proud of. As Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, I see every day how critical skilled people are to delivering the infrastructure this country needs.
“Events like Stars of the Future put a spotlight on the careers and the technical training that can really lead to a fantastic career and a fantastic future. Events like this are a great way to showcase the leaders of tomorrow. To every finalist and winner here today, whether you're a Plant Mechanic, a Crane Operator, a Hire Controller, or any of the other extraordinary careers that you young people are doing, you should all be very proud at being recognised today. I want you to know that what you're doing really matters. You're not just starting jobs, you're building careers, you're building a better Britain. Congratulations to you all.”
Stars of the Future had a two-tier judging process - the CPA selection panel and a panel of external judges who decided the eventual winners of each category. The external judging panel included Arran Willis of Liebherr-GB, Siôn Morgan Jones of ACOP Group, Kirsty Archbold-Laming of Southern Hoist Services, Leigh Sparrow of Vertikal Press, Graham B
