We’re a top 3 SME apprenticeship employer!

The best of England’s apprentice employers, apprentices, rising stars and individuals who champion apprenticeships have been announced during the 17th annual National Apprenticeship Awards. Our programme Snow Camp was awarded Highly Commended in the SME Apprenticeship Employer of the Year 2020 category. 

This year the Awards were hosted by BBC presenter Dan Walker and they shone the spotlight on business and individual success in apprenticeships, particularly poignant, given the many challenges employers and apprentices have faced this year during the pandemic. The national ceremony showcased examples of where apprentices have gone above and beyond in their apprenticeship to make a real difference. 

Apprentices, at all levels and from sectors including construction, engineering and business, alongside employers from the health, leisure and ICT sectors were announced as winners during the online broadcast, on 25 November 2020. Ten winners and 18 highly commended finalists, which included our programme Snow Camp, were recognised from across all nine English regions.

Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson said: 

“Huge congratulations to all of the winners. It’s fantastic to see so many excellent examples of employers of all sizes continuing to embrace the benefits apprenticeships have to offer, and all the apprentices who have gone above and beyond. The National Apprenticeships Awards are a brilliant opportunity to showcase the power of apprenticeships to transform lives and businesses, while helping people of all ages and backgrounds to get ahead. Apprenticeships will continue to play a vital role helping us to build back better from coronavirus. I wish all the winners all the best for the future.” 

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: 

“With such strong competition in businesses right across the country, the winners of this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards should hold their heads up high. There’s a reason why so many apprentices stay in a job or do further training afterwards – it’s because apprenticeships work. That’s why we’re doing everything we can to make sure people can continue learning while expanding their job prospects – much like today’s winners – and why this week we announced cash incentives to hire apprentices, meaning businesses can benefit from their talents. Each and every apprentice is vital to the national effort to recover from the pandemic and build back better.” 

Our apprentices are key members of our team and that’s why this award means so much to us. Our apprentices not only gain work experiences and qualifications in an industry that would not normally be accessible to them, but they are role models and a support network to the new young people joining our charity. We are very much looking forward to hiring our next cohort of apprentices next year.  

Thank you to all our partners and funders who make our Apprenticeship Programme possible, this one is for you too!

If you would like to watch the awards ceremony, you can do so below, we’re on from 11.00 mins.