Hundreds of students and their employers gathered at Ashton Gate Stadium in February to take part in City of Bristol College’s Apprenticeship Awards evening.

Recognising outstanding achievements

Now in its second year, the event was held during National Apprenticeship Week to recognise outstanding achievements among the College’s Apprenticeship students. The event also celebrated the important role of businesses in recruiting Apprentices.

Apprenticeship students and their employers received a range of awards on the evening. Categories included ‘Apprentice of the Year’, for individuals who have shown outstanding commitment and progress, and ‘Employer of the Year’, to acknowledge the support given to Apprentices by their employers.

Guest speakers included Jon House (Deputy Chief Executive, Bristol City Council) and former Apprentice Mike Mosley (Executive Vice President, Rolls Royce). The awards were presented by the Heart Bristol Breakfast team and trophies were produced by young people from HMP Ashfield in Bristol.

"We are delighted to help celebrate their success"

Keith Elliott, Principal at City of Bristol College, said: “The awards ceremony is an important event that recognises the achievements of our students and the valuable support provided by their employers, and we are delighted to help celebrate their success.”

“City of Bristol College is the largest provider of Apprentices in further education. The training we deliver benefits not only the students but also their employers, which in turn benefits the local economy too,” he said.

Public Sector Apprenticeships

As well as delivering Apprenticeship training in the private sector, City of Bristol College provides a number of Apprenticeship programmes for the public sector. The College is currently training Apprentices from Bristol City Council in a wide range of roles including business administration and finance. The College is also involved in a new Civil Service Apprenticeship scheme for Civil Service South West (CSSW).

The College has also recently taken on 15 new Apprenticeships as part of its own ongoing efforts to support the local economy in the recession.

The winners

Plumbing category:

Apprentice of the Year – Jack Warren; Advanced Apprentice of the Year – Jack Brown; Employer of the Year – J L Siney

Carpentry category:

Apprentice of the Year – James Marshall; Advanced Apprentice of the Year – Andrew Preet; Carpentry Employer of the Year – SMGE

Electrical installation category:

Apprentice of the Year – Sam Lawrence; Employer of the Year – 21st Century BLG Services Ltd

Engineering category:

Apprentice of the Year – Alexander Smith; Employer of the Year – First Great Western Trains

Light vehicles category:

Apprentice of the Year – Lee Davies; Employer of the Year – Bristol Water

Heavy vehicles category:

Apprentice of the Year – Ashley Robbins; Employer of the Year – First Bus

Beauty category:

Apprentice of the Year – Arran Frew; Employer of the Year – Amber Tone

Chef category:

Apprentice of the Year – Denise Burgess; Employer of the Year – Loch Fyne

Hairdressing category:

Apprentice of the Year – Georgina Wills; Employer of the Year – Bonomini

Bakery category:

Apprentice of the Year – Adam Greenaway; Employer of the Year – Hobbs House Bakery

Business administration category:

Apprentice of the Year – Katie Thatcher; Outstanding Contribution to Class for Business Administration - Kirstie Corbiere

Entry to Employment (E2E) category:

E2E Learner of the Year – Jamie Watt