A newly qualified medical engineer at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) has won a top regional award after displaying innovative ideas and commitment during his apprenticeship.

Karl Faulkner, aged 24, from Northfield, recently completed a four-year apprenticeship in the Medical Engineering department at UHB, which runs Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB).

He has now been named the regional winner of the Advanced Apprentice Graduate of the Year Award by Midland Group Training Services.

The award is given to the apprentice who has done the most to seize training and development opportunities and has made a significant contribution to support the business activities of their employer.

Karl, who attended Turves Green Boys School in Northfield, had previously completed a City & Guilds plumbing course at Bournville College before starting his apprenticeship in September 2009.

He has now obtained a job as a medical engineering technician at UHB, working in the department responsible for the repair, maintenance and management of medical equipment.

Karl said he became an apprentice because he could gain hands-on experience in the workplace while furthering his education by attending college.

He said: “The award really came as a great surprise to me and I felt very honoured.”

The course gave him the opportunity to play a key role in the continual improvement of the medical engineering service.

He also worked on a wide range of projects, including one when he was the lead engineer on sourcing a filter with an integral mouthpiece attached to a gas delivery system. Karl explained: “The reason for needing a filter with a mouthpiece was to ensure that the Entonox Gas Delivery System did not become contaminated if it’s used by an infected patient.

“We were able to liaise with several manufacturers and finally worked with a company called Intersurgical who were able to supply a mouthpiece that was packaged with a filter as one whole unit which reduces the risk of infection.”