Apprentice Maisey celebrated after she wins national awar=d

» STROUD District Council’s apprentice Maisey Hammond is celebrating after being crowned National Intermediate Apprentice of the Year 2020.

The award follows Maisey’s success in the South West regional Apprenticeship Awards earlier this month.

And just Maisey was shortlisted alongside fellow apprentice Connor Ward for the Gloucestershire Live Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Public Services).

Maisey, 17, started her apprenticeship in the council’s Community Services team after gaining 11 GCSE’S at Archway School in Stroud. “I wanted to do something different to the traditional academic route for the remaining two years of my education,” she said.

Since starting her apprenticeship Maisey has achieved a Level 2 NVQ in Business Administration, and will now start work on a Level 3 qualification.

On hearing that she had won the award Maisey said: “It wasn’t quite the live event that I originally expected, but nevertheless winning the National Intermediate Apprentice of the Year 2020 has been a big surprise and a great experience attending the virtual event in the lounge with my family is the next best thing!”

Councillor Doina Cornell, Leader of Stroud District Council said: “I’m delighted for Maisey, who has a bright future ahead of her.

“The impact on young people due to the pandemic has been especially hard, so I am really pleased that Stroud District Council is able to support young people locally to take their first steps into employment through our apprenticeship programme.

Fiona Parsons, the South West Apprentice Ambassador Network Co-ordinator added: “To be a regional winner is great but to beat eight other regions to win is fantastic.”

Stroud District Council employs 18 apprentices across the organisation, . It won the Gloucestershire Live Apprenticeship Employer of the Year 2020.