West Midlands firms and apprentices shortlisted for awards (From Stourbridge News)

West Midlands firms and apprentices shortlisted for awards

7:20am Friday 21st September 2012 in Business Daily

SEVENTEEN companies and apprentices will represent apprenticeship and skills talent across the West Midlands after being shortlisted for the regional heat of the National Apprenticeship Awards and National Training Awards 2012.

The training awards recognise organisations that have delivered outstanding training programmes and the apprenticeship awards celebrate the achievements of the country’s most outstanding apprenticeship employers and their apprentices.

Both awards will be contested at a joint awards ceremony organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), at Birmingham City Council next Monday, at 4pm.

“These joint National Training Awards and National Apprenticeship Awards offer a fantastic platform for young people and employers in our region to share centre stage and gain the recognition they richly deserve for encouraging ambition and enterprise, creating rewarding career opportunities and helping to drive economic growth through their commitment to skills development,” said Karen Woodward, divisional apprenticeship director for NAS.

National Apprenticeship Awards regional finalists whose achievements will be celebrated at the event include Sanctuary Group housing association, based in Worcestershire, shortlisted for the Macro Employer of the Year.

They will be joined by National Apprenticeship Award regional finalists which include Hendra Healthcare Ludlow Ltd, a family-run residential home from Ludlow hoping to scoop the Medium Employer of the Year and Josephs Hair Team, a hairdressers based in Warwickshire, which has been shortlisted for the Small Employer of the Year award.

Apprentices that have reached the regional final include William Crosbee, employed by Thomson Solihull and completing an apprenticeship in intermediate apprenticeship in leisure, travel and tourism. He is competing in the Intermediate Apprentice of the Year.

Another apprentice contesting the Advanced Apprentice of the Year is Richard Lawrence, employed by Kraft Foods and completing an apprenticeship in engineering and manufacturing technologies.

The National Apprenticeship Awards and National Training Awards 2012 attracted more than 1,500 entrants. All regional winners will proceed through to a final national judging stage. The highest scoring apprenticeship employer entries will feature in the England’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list, which will be produced by NAS in partnership with City & Guilds.

The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and all the national award winners will be revealed during the opening ceremony of the UK’s largest national skills and careers event, WorldSkills UK - The Skills Show, at the NEC in Birmingham on November 14.

The full list of West Midlands organisations and apprentices shortlisted for this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards is:

The Pearson Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year

• Laura Pringle
• William Crosby

The EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year

• Richard Lawrence
• Jamie Hammond

The City & Guilds Apprenticeship Champion of the Year

• Martin Shelton
• Lee Tabis

Small Employer of the Year

• John Cliff Building Services
• Josephs Hair Team

Nuclear Decommissioning SLC Award for Medium Apprenticeship Employer of the Year

• Hendra Healthcare Ludlow Ltd
• Pailton Engineering
• Belgrade Theatre

Large Employer of the Year

• WM Housing Group

Macro Employer of the Year

• Sanctuary Group
• Coventry City Council

The full list of NTA award finalists from the West Midlands is:

Rolls Royce Large NTA Employer of the Year

• Coventry Building Society
• Salts Healthcare
• Thompsons Solicitors LLP