Finalists shortlisted for this year’s Apprenticeship Awards
NINE apprentices and four work-based learning assessors and tutors have been shortlisted for this year’s Apprenticeship Awards Cymru.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, on Friday, November 9.
The awards are jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW) and supported by media partner, Media Wales.
The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
The annual awards are designed to showcase and celebrate the outstanding achievements of learners, employers, tutors and assessors who have excelled in contributing to the development of the Welsh Government’s Traineeships and Apprenticeship Programmes.
HIGHER APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR CATEGORY FINALISTS
Knowledge and skills gained during an ILM leadership and management higher apprenticeship through Pathways Training at NPTC Group of Colleges have helped Lynnette Davies, 51, from Neath, deliver significant improvements at the DVLA in Swansea. She has been so successful at implementing change, increasing staff engagement and reducing complaints that she has been appointed continuous improvement lead in addition to her role as customer experience improvement manager.
Support engineer Daren Chesworth is living proof that apprenticeships can change lives. Support engineer Daren, 30, started work at Transcontinental AC UK Ltd in Wrexham after being made redundant as a plumber and now aspires to become a chartered engineer. Through Coleg Cambria, he has achieved an apprenticeship and higher apprenticeship in engineering manufacture, a degree in industrial engineering (mechatronics) and will soon complete his MPhil before embarking on an MBA.
Determined Thomas Watkins refuses to allow an autistic spectrum disorder that affects his speech to get in the way of a career in the media industry. Thomas, 26, from Cardiff, achieved a higher apprenticeship in creative and digital media (interactive media pathway) through Sgil Cymru while working for White Hart Multimedia. Named Creative Industries Apprentice of the Year at this year’s Quality Skills Alliance Awards, he has also completed a HND in design in digital media at Bridgend College.
FOUNDATION APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Apprentice chef Thomas Martin’s passion for cooking has taken him to work in some of London’s top fine dining restaurants.
Thomas, 22, who works at Holm House Hotel, Penarth, has a burning ambition to open a restaurant in Cardiff to champion the best Welsh ingredients. Having achieved a foundation apprenticeship in professional cookery through Cambrian Training Company while working at Manor Parc Country Hotel and Restaurant, Cardiff, he plans to progress to an apprenticeship next year.
Sports development apprentice Lauren Richards has become an ambassador and role model for Urdd Gobaith Cymru as well as apprenticeships through the medium of Welsh.
Lauren, 20, from Maesteg, develops sports opportunities for children and young people. She previously completed a foundation apprenticeship in activity leadership and a series of sport related qualifications. Her job sees her work in partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council and several national sport governing bodies.
Completing an apprenticeship has boosted Corinna Roberts’ confidence and skills and brought value and fresh ideas to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Newport where she works. Supported by training provider ALS Training, 26-year-old Corinna, from Tonypandy, has achieved a foundation apprenticeship and an apprenticeship in business administration. She has secured a permanent civil service job, become a diversity and inclusion officer and established the first mental health awareness programme of its kind.
APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Nineteen-year-old Sally Hughes is on course for a rewarding career with Tata Steel in her home town Port Talbot and hopes to inspire other young women to follow a science career pathway.
Determined to embrace all opportunities available to her, Sally has achieved an apprenticeship in laboratory and associated technical activities (industrial science) alongside a BTec national diploma in applied science at Gower College Swansea. Next up is a higher apprenticeship with a HNC in applied chemistry.
Made redundant by Ford’s Bridgend plant, 26-year-old Ryan Brown jumped at the chance to retrain by securing an apprenticeship on the company’s electrical training programme. He now programmes and works with robots, provides breakdown cover and finds ways to save the company money. In the final year of an electrical maintenance apprenticeship, Ryan, from Porthcawl, aims to complete a HNC in electrical engineering at Bridgend College and BEng degree in manufacturing systems engineering next summer.
CITB 2017 Wales Apprentice of the Year Russell Beale has sets his sights on becoming a chartered civil engineer. The ambitious 21-year-old from Pontypool works for VINCI Construction Grands Projets where he is preparing for the M4 relief road at Newport. Through training provider CITB, Russell has achieved an apprenticeship in civil engineering for technicians alongside a Btec diploma level three in construction and the built environment. He is now studying for a HNC.
WORK-BASED LEARNING TUTOR AND ASSESSOR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
A “treasured tutor” is how ACT Limited describes Kirsty Keane and it is easy to see why she is held in such high esteem. Working with 16-18 year olds as a health and social care and early years care tutor since 2015, Kirsty, 26, has supported 91 learners through a Level One traineeship in care with a 100% progression rate. She makes time for her learners and plans unique learner experiences for them.
Former apprentice Michael Ramsden is dedicated to ensuring his learners fulfil their potential and progress their careers by taking advantage of the many opportunities apprenticeship routes offer.
Michael, 31, from Cardiff, developed his career as a training officer with Cambrian Training Company for four years and enhanced his skills with Culinary Team Wales in international competitions. He has delivered high quality apprenticeships in professional cookery and craft cuisine as well as maintaining excellent relationships with employers.
Carly Murray loves delivering work-based qualifications that have an impact on her learners. For the past five years, Carly, 35, has been the Internal Quality Assurance assessor for the education and development team at ACT Limited.
She delivers Apprenticeships in learning and development and higher apprenticeships in advice and guidance. More than 90% of her learners complete their qualification and she has twice achieved a 100% success rate since 2013.
Coleg Cambria’s technical assessor in aerospace and electrical engineering, Tim Robinson, goes above and beyond what is expected to ensure his learners succeed.
Tim, 53, from Flint, joined the college from industry in 2009 and has had a 100% achievement and retention rate since 2014. To develop his teaching and assessing skills, he has completed the assessor qualification, an ILM in coaching and mentoring, City & Guilds supporting adults and young people with essential skills and a PGCE.