Region’s employers scoop training awards
YORKSHIRE FIRMS scooped five awards at the North East round of The National Apprenticeship Awards 2017.
The winners included Lloyds Banking Group in Halifax, Yorkshire Building Society in Bradford, Dale Power Solutions in Scarborough, Ebsford Environmental in Wakefield and Blue Logic in Leeds.
The National Apprenticeship Awards, now in their 14th year, showcase the benefits of apprenticeships across England. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at the Royal York Hotel.
The organisers said the winning firms showed how apprentices have made a significant contribution to their workplace.
Lloyds Banking Group in Halifax won Macro Employer of the Year.
Lloyds’ senior apprenticeships manager Kathryn Marshall said: “We are proud that our commitment to providing quality apprenticeships has been recognised by the National Apprenticeship Awards.
“Apprenticeships provide individuals with the relevant skills and education they need and it is a key part of our talent and development strategy.
“As part of our commitment to Helping Britain Prosper, we are on track to create 8,000 apprenticeships across the group by 2020.”
Dale Power Solutions won Large Apprentice Employer of the Year.
Its CEO Tim Wilkins said: “Being a company with under 300 employees makes us relatively small for the Large Employer category so we were thrilled to win this award for the Yorkshire and Humber region.
“One third of our apprentices are female and having two of our apprentices, Mickyle Clark and Hannah Magowan, awarded with Higher/Degree Apprentice and Advanced Apprentice in the regional finals is the icing on the cake.”
Ms Magowan said: “Since joining Dale Power Solutions, I have been given a wide range of opportunities to learn, and show my capabilities throughout the workplace. I wish to complete my advanced apprenticeship gaining my level 2 and 3 qualifications in electrical and electronic engineering, and then start a higher apprenticeship to gain my level 4 and 5 qualifications. I also wish to continue rotating around the departments of the business to get a full picture of how the business operates, and then get a position in the area where I am most valuable to the company.”
Simon Heafield, operations director at Blue Logic, said the firm was thrilled that its apprenticeship scheme was a winner.
“Here at Blue Logic we are firm believers in the value of apprenticeships to businesses and the local economy,” he said.
“We have built a successful environment that encourages our team to grow and develop in the workplace. The apprentices we have brought into Blue Logic so far have made a real difference to our organisation and made a significant contribution.’’
The awards also recognised individual apprentices. Sarah Barley from Hunsley School won Apprentice Champion of the Year
The Yorkshire winners will now enter the national awards.
Sue Husband, director at the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “The National Apprenticeship Awards allow talented apprentices and committed employers from across our regions to receive well-deserved recognition for their apprenticeship achievements.
“In turn, I hope that the exposure given to winners encourages more employers and individuals to get involved.”
National award winners and the Top 100 Employers will be announced at a ceremony to be held on January 18 in London.
Sponsors for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber awards were YH Training, Px Group, Yorkshire Housing, Leeds College of Building and Baltic Training. Comment: Page 14.