Niftylift Apprentices Win AAC 2025

Niftylift’s apprentice team, Elevation Nation, has won the 2025 IMechE Apprentice Automation Challenge—our second consecutive victory at this prestigious event.

We’re proud to announce that Elevation Nation, Niftylift’s 2025 apprentice team, has been voted the winner of the IMechE Apprentice Automation Challenge (AAC). The finals took place at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, where a record 17 apprentice teams presented their projects to a panel of industry judges.

Now in its eleventh year, the AAC is an annual competition that encourages apprentices to design and develop innovative automated devices. It has become a showcase for creativity, professionalism, and engineering skill across the UK.

Chief Judge Toby Heagarty said: “The winning team significantly impressed with their presentation skills. The prototype they developed showed iteration over time into their final product and the significant amount of research they had done into the market was a key factor in the judges’ decision.” Another judge added that their presentation was strong enough to stand up at Board level.

This marks the second year running that a Niftylift apprentice team has claimed the top prize. In 2024, our team Elevate Elite were crowned champions; this year, Elevation Nation carried that momentum forward. Notably, Paigan Huish and Ben Gillow were members of both winning teams, making them two-time AAC champions.

We are incredibly proud of Paigan Huish, George Mott, Haydn Nixon, Ben Gillow, and Ewan Bell for their hard work, innovation, and teamwork throughout the challenge. Their success highlights the outstanding talent of our apprentices and the bright future they represent for Niftylift.

Karl Digby, Niftylift’s Learning and Development Manager, commented: “The team should be really proud of themselves for the work they put in and they have been excellent ambassadors of the company and the apprenticeship scheme.”

For more information on Niftylift Apprentices Win AAC 2025 talk to Niftylift Ltd