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Cambridgeshire reveals its apprentices of the year
Winners of Cambridgeshire’s second apprenticeship awards have been revealed.
Nominees were invited to New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald, to celebrate their achievements.
Apprenticeship awards
The awards ceremony took place during National Apprenticeship Week. It provided an opportunity to spotlight how apprenticeships provide ‘Skills for Life’.
Winners
All nominations were reviewed by a judging panel and winners selected in each category.
All nominations for the apprentice categories were for current apprentices or apprentices who have completed their apprenticeship in the last 12 months and either live or work in Cambridgeshire
The Apprentice of the Year award went to Michael Burrell who works for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue. Michael works as an apprentice firefighter.
Michael was nominated by his line manager Christine Doody, who was impressed by his determination to succeed and commitment to his studies.
She described him as “Inspirational mentor to other apprentice firefighters with neurodiversity.”.
Al Kingsley, chair of the Employment and Skills Board at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, hosted the awards and presented awards to the winners and highly commended apprentices and apprentice supporters.
Working with People Award
Winner: Tom Chenery, South Cambridgeshire District Council
Highly Commended: Samantha Hastings, Cambridgeshire County Council
This award recognises individuals whose role requires them to support citizens and throughout their apprenticeship and have demonstrated putting people and customer service at the heart of everything they do.
Behind the Scenes Award
Winner: Elle Walden, Cambridge Regional College
Elle Walden
Highly Commended: Phoebe Ward, Softwerx
This award recognises the achievements of apprentices whose role provides vital support within their organisation, going above and beyond expectations.
Team Working Award
Winner: Lewis Timmins, The Hill Group (E.J. Taylor & Sons)
Lewis Timmins
Highly Commended: Gabrielle Cox, Ermine Street Housing (part of South Cambridgeshire District Council)
This award recognises an individual who has built and maintained excellent working relationships and has had a positive impact on team performance by providing encouragement and support.
Foundation Achiever Award
Winner: Charlotte Palmer, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Charlotte Palmer
Highly Commended: Morgan Reid, Marshall Aerospace
This award recognises individuals who have used a level 2 or level 3 apprenticeship to commence, change or boost their career.
Personal Achievement
Winner: Michael Burrell, Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service
Michael Burrell
Highly Commended: Alex Norton, Marshall Aerospace
This award recognises individuals who have made significant progress and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their apprenticeship.
Nominations were also encouraged for individuals that have overcome their own personal challenges on their apprenticeship journey.
Apprentice of the Year
Selected from the categories there was an overall ‘Apprentice of the Year’ award.
The Apprentice of the Year award went to Michael Burrell.
Apprentice Support Categories
This award recognises those who have provided support and encouragement to apprentices and positively impact the apprenticeship brand.
Apprentice Manager / Mentor Award
Winner: Zoe Paice, Cambridgeshire County Council
Zoe Paice
Highly Commended: Joshua Hang Gong, Cambridgeshire County Council
Apprentice Employer of the Year
Winner: BGL Insurance
This award recognises an employers’ outstanding commitment to apprentices and apprenticeships within an organisation. This could be from any perspective, local to national, subject-specific to sector-wide. It is open to employers from all sectors and all sizes within Cambridgeshire.
Nominations for the awards were managed digitally, with winners selected by judging panels.
Apprenticeship awards
There were 13 judges who made up six judging panels across the eight categories (including Apprentice of the Year). Each judge independently scored the nominations in their allocated category.
A moderation meeting was then held for each category for the panel to discuss and agree the winner and highly commended.
Judges only received the nomination forms for the category they were judging with full names, personal details and places of work removed and replaced with an identification number.
Cllr Bryony Goodliffe, chair of the council’s children and young people committee, added: “It’s wonderful to see another talented group of apprentices this year at the awards ceremony.
“We’ve been really impressed by their achievements, and it’s only right to celebrate this.
“The awards ceremony is in its second year now and serves as a great way to highlight the great accomplishments apprentices complete and the benefits of an apprenticeship to others thinking of pursuing one.”
