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North West Prestigious Apprenticeship Awards

The North West’s (Liverpool, including Cumbria and Lancashire) top apprentices and apprentice employers have been announced in the regional final of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2015.

The National Apprenticeship Awards, now in their 12th year, celebrate the success of the country’s most exceptional apprentices and apprenticeship employers. The awards challenge top apprenticeship employers and apprentices across England to come forward and show how apprenticeships have made a real difference to their organisation and careers.

The North West’s (Liverpool, including Cumbria and Lancashire) winners and highly commended entries were announced at a high profile awards ceremony on October 12th organised by the National Apprenticeship Service, which was held at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool.

Businesses and apprentices fought off tough competition to win this year’s coveted awards.

This year’s winners for North West (Liverpool, including Cumbria and Lancashire) are:

McDonald’s Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year: Adam Huddleston, Dr Oetker UK Ltd.

Highly Commended: Jacqueline Whitehead, Plus Dane Group

EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year: Paul Haynes, BAE Systems (Submarines).

Highly commended: India Ratcliffe, Loungy Upholstery Ltd, Craig Eccles, Paradigm Precision

The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for the Higher Apprentice of the Year: Joanne Sharples, BAE Systems.

Highly Commended: Natassia Sinclair, Weightmans LLP; Hannah Bell, GlaxoSmithKline

City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year: Poppy Wolfarth, Asset Training and Consultancy Ltd.

Highly Commended: Natalie Roberts, Merseyside Police; Liam Hogan, Cathy at Image Hair and Beauty.

Unilever Small Employer of the Year: Prima Software Ltd.

Highly commended: Arthur Padgett Limited

The E.ON in partnership with the National Skills Academy for Power Award for Medium Employer of the Year: A & G Precision and Sons Ltd. BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year: Silentnight Brands. Highly commended: Weightmans LLP BT Award for Macro Employer of the Year: Sellafield Ltd.

Highly commended: Unilever UK Limited; Aintree University Hospital

EDF Energy Award for Newcomer SME of the Year: Driscolls Antiques Ltd. Highly commended: Eden Rivers Trust

Skills Minister Nick Boles said:

“A big congratulations to all the apprentices and employers in (insert region) who impressed the judges today. From local businesses to large household names, from intermediate to degree apprentices, all of today’s winners truly deserve this recognition.

“The success of each winner reminds us of how crucial apprenticeships are in supporting our workforce, our businesses and our economy. This is why we are committed to delivering 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.”

This year’s sponsors for the North West (Liverpool) awards are: Lancashire Enterprise Partnership & Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub

Sue Husband, Director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said:

“Apprenticeships deliver for businesses, individuals and the economy. They enable people to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, in some cases up to degree level, while working and earning. And for businesses, hiring apprentices is a productive and effective way for them to grow their own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

“The National Apprenticeship Awards enable talented apprentices and committed employers to receive the recognition they richly deserve. They not only help celebrate the achievements of apprentices and businesses, allowing them to gain the credit for investing in their own futures, but they drive up quality and encourage others to get involved.

“Today’s winners are the best of the best in the region and I would like to congratulate them on their achievements. They deserve to be rewarded for their efforts. There has never been a better time to become an apprentice or employ one.”

Following the regional ceremonies, the winners from each category in all 11 areas of England will have their entries sent for national judging, and three from each category will be selected as national finalists.

The apprenticeship employer entries that were judged to be the very best of the best will have the additional honour of featuring in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list.

The national award winners and Top 100 Employers will be revealed at a ceremony held in January 2016 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Search for apprenticeships on .GOV.UK or call 08000 150 600 to find out more about apprenticeships.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Holly .