13-year-old becomes UK’s youngest certified construction equipment operator

A 13-year-old has become the UK’s youngest certified plant operator after passing his CPCS test on a JCB backhoe loader. Image: JCB

Schoolboy Finlay Gallagher passed his Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) exam – the accreditation in the UK – where he had to demonstrate a strong grasp of both the theory and practical aspects of operating the machinery.

Gallagher took the test on a JCB backhoe loader. His grandad, Pat Gallagher, founded the family-owned aggregates, groundworks, civil engineering and property development company Gallagher Group more than 50 years ago with a single JCB 3C MK2 backhoe loader.

The Gallagher Group has a fleet of more than 300 machines and employs more than 500 people.

“I definitely see my future in the construction industry. My grandad Pat started the Gallagher Group, and it would mean a lot to me to play a part in helping the business continue to grow. This qualification is a great first step, and I’m keen to build on it by learning to operate more types of plant machinery,” said Finlay Gallagher.

“I really enjoyed the training. I liked learning how to use the JCB 3CX Plus backhoe loader and understanding what was needed to pass the course.”

To celebrate his achievement, Gallagher was invited to one of the JCB Groundworker Days where he was presented with a special model gift from Lord Bamford. He was then invited to debut with the JCB demonstration team where he drove the JCB hydrogen-powered backhoe loader as part of the opening routine.

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