Loughborough College Group kicked off National Apprenticeship Week in style on Tuesday, bringing together standout apprentices, employer partners and college staff for a vibrant celebration of achievement at its annual Apprenticeship Awards.
Hosted for the first time at the College Group’s Stephenson College site in Coalville, the awards served to highlight the hard work, dedication and talent demonstrated by all nominees.
Leading the celebrations were Jonny Watkin, Principal of Stephenson College, and Jenny Dryden, Assistant Principal for Apprenticeships at Loughborough College Group. Jonny said: “Hosting this event is the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate the exceptional achievements of our apprentices, employer partners, and staff. The hundreds of high-quality nominations we received for these awards demonstrates the remarkable depth and strength of our Apprenticeship community, and we could not be prouder of everyone involved.
“Strong partnerships between employers, apprentices, and colleges are central to skills development, and we are pleased to work with so many employers who understand the power of apprenticeships in shaping the workforce of the future.”
The awards on offer included:
· Agriculture and Environmental Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Tilbury Douglas
· Business, Administration, Customer Service and Digital Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Loughborough College Group
· Caring Services, Education and Early Years Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Lime Tree Day Nursery
· Construction and the Built Environment Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Balfour Beatty
· Engineering and Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Sofidel
· Finance, Accounting and Marketing Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Robert Whowell and Partners
· Health and Science Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Loughborough College Group
· Transport and Logistics Apprentice of the Year, sponsored by Logistics UK
The College Group also gave out a series of special awards to recognise apprentices, employers and mentors who have truly gone above and beyond in their roles:
· Renee Lee-Brown Rising Star Award, sponsored by Mercedes AMG HPP
· Mentor of the Year, sponsored by Toyota Material Handling
· Curriculum and Support Staff of the Year, sponsored by Loughborough College Group
· Employer of the Year Award - sponsored by the East Midlands Institute of Technology
Corrie Harris, CEO of Loughborough College Group, highlighted the importance of formally recognising these outstanding achievements: “This Apprenticeship Awards Evening was particularly special, being the first celebration of its kind since we became Loughborough College Group. Bringing together the talent, passion, and achievements of apprentices, employers, and staff from across all our campuses has highlighted not only individual excellence, but the strength and shared vision of our newly unified College Group.
“A huge thank you must also be extended to our sponsors, whose support made these awards possible and enabled us to shine a light on the inspiring individuals within the apprenticeship sector.
We are excited for what the future holds and are proud to champion the impact of apprenticeships across our communities.”
Comprising Brooksby College, Loughborough College, Stephenson College and IGNITE Performing Arts, Loughborough College Group offers apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors, working with over 1,200 employer partners to develop skills and build the workforce of the future.