Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Worcestershire County Council have announced that nominations are open for this year’s Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards.
Training providers, employers, schools and apprentices are now being urged to submit entries by the deadline of 30 June 2016. Tables are now also on sale as well as sponsorship opportunities for the awards which will take place on 17 November 2016 at West Midland Safari Park.
The Awards, now in their third year, have been previously hosted by The BBC’s Apprentice, Nick Hewer, and Broadcaster, Steph McGovern, and consistently attract an audience of over 300 people.
This year Tim Campbell MBE, business owner and winner of the first series of BBC’s The Apprentice, will host and present the 12 awards to celebrate some of the County’s most successful apprentices, schools, training providers and apprentice employers. Since winning The Apprentice, Tim went on to work for Alan Sugar for three years, leading Amstrad’s foray into the health and beauty market, before founding the Bright Ideas Trust, an organisation that supports young aspiring entrepreneurs with advice, encouragement and investment.
The 2016 Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards will recognise excellence in 12 categories:
Apprentice Awards
- School of the year
- Intermediate Level Apprentice of the year
- Advanced Level Apprentice of the year
- Higher Level Apprentice of the year
- Worcestershire Apprentice of the year.
Employer Awards
- Newcomer Apprenticeship Employer
- Small Apprenticeship Employer of the year (< 50 employees)
- Medium Apprenticeship Employer of the year (> 50 employees)
- Large Apprenticeship Employer of the year (> 250 employees)
- Apprentice Ambassador of the Year
- Training Provider of the Year
- Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year.
Confirmed sponsors for this year’s awards include: E-Response, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and Worcestershire Training Providers Association. Once again, the two main awards are being sponsored by: Yamazaki Mazak Ltd for Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year and Worcester Bosch Group for Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year.
Gary Woodman, Executive Director of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We have some excellent apprenticeship opportunities in Worcestershire with over 10,000 people participating in an apprenticeship programme.
“The range of categories for the awards are a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate the fantastic work that is taking place across the County and so do place your nominations for this year’s Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards at the earliest opportunity. If you don’t already provide apprenticeships, it is worth considering how apprentices could help with your future workforce requirements and increase your productivity. A wealth of support and information is available at www.worcsapprenticeships.org.uk and we may be recognising your apprentices at future awards.”
Cllr Dr Ken Pollock, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy, Skills and Infrastructure at Worcestershire County Council, said: “We are delighted to support the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards. Apprentices can add so much to the workplace, and by offering placements, employers give young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and experience for their future lives.
“I would encourage employers to make their nominations for the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards and help celebrate and further improve the already fantastic apprenticeship infrastructure that we enjoy here in Worcestershire.”
For more information about apprenticeships locally and to nominate yourself or somebody else for this year’s Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards before the 30 June 2016 deadline, visit the Worcestershire Apprenticeships website at www.worcsapprenticeships.org.uk.
Completed nominations, and enquiries for sponsorship opportunities and table bookings for the awards should be sent to awardsnominations@worcestershire.gov.uk.
Join the conversation on Twitter using #WorcsApprentice.
Pictured: left to right: host of the 2015 Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards and Broadcaster, Steph McGovern; Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year 2015, Victoria Rawlings; Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year 2014, Ryan Shemwell, with Carl Arnzten, Managing Director of Worcester Bosch Thermotechnolgy Ltd. who sponsored the Apprentice of the Year category.