The finalists for our 2020 Birmingham Apprenticeship Awards can be revealed today.
Apprentices across greater Birmingham working in sectors such as construction and professional services from will be recognised alongside employers and training providers.
A total of 11 separate awards will be handed out at our virtual ceremony next month including our overall Apprentice of the Year.
The full list of finalists and sponsors for 2020 is:
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Construction and Property), sponsored by Midlands High Growth
Michael Barrett, HS2
Qasim Khattak, Rider Levett Bucknall
Jorel Walsh, Skerritt Electrical
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Engineering and Manufacturing), sponsored by Birmingham Metropolitan College
Vicky Curtis, Voestalpine
Ellesse Garratt, Voestalpine
Dylan Keefe, Voestalpine
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Health, Education and Care), sponsored by Wales England Care
Susan Cruxton, Dignity
Hema Ghale, West Midlands Combined Authority
Mohammed Islam, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Professional Services), sponsored by Performance Through People
Joseph Billington, Greenfield Recovery
Jodie Louza, City of Wolverhampton Council
Isobel Sherrington, EY
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Tech, Digital and Creative Industries), by sponsored by Voestalpine
Lauren Alie, PwC
Antonis Kousoulas, You. Smart. Thing.
Shekinah Yuhanna, DanceXchange
* Apprentice of the Year (chosen from the five category winners above), sponsored by Birmingham and Solihull Training Provider Network
Small Employer of the Year (1-50 staff), sponsored by Make UK
Philip Barnes and Co
Sunflowers Nursery
Tinkerbell's Card Shop
Medium Employer of the Year (51-249 staff), sponsored by BCTG
Crimson
Intercity Technology
RH Nuttall
Large Employer of the Year (250+ staff), sponsored by The Development Manager
HydraForce
PwC
The Fablink Group
Training Provider of the Year, sponsored by The Ladder Foundation
Aston University
Swift ACI
The Development Manager
Education Engagement Award, sponsored by Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership
Make UK
PwC
Stephen Sutton Multi Academy Trust
Training providers play a vital role in the development of apprentices and the awards and Ladder campaign would like to recognise the following for their work with this year's finalists: Birmingham City University, Coventry University, Creative Alliance, EY, JTL Training, National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure, PTP Training, The Apprenticeship Centre, The Opportunity Group and University of Birmingham.
The awards are run by our sister website BirminghamLive in partnership with the Ladder for Greater Birmingham campaign which is creating hundreds of new apprenticeship roles across the city region.
Kevin Davis, chief executive of The Vine Trust, chairs the campaign and also led the judging panel of our awards.
He said: "It only seems like yesterday I was heading the panel for the successful 2019 Apprenticeship Awards and what a very different world it was.
"While I am delighted to take on this role again, it is in very different circumstances in the context of a global pandemic which has affected all of our lives, businesses and of course the apprentices they employ.
"What I have learned in this latest process is the exemplary resilience and ingenuity of business, both large and small, and the apprentices in these covid times.
"Although our awards will be virtual, I am so pleased this high-tech, well-resourced production will be able to recognise the considerable efforts and achievements of our nominees.
"It was a very difficult process for me and my fellow judges whose contribution I very much welcomed.
"I look forward to the awards and dusting off my black tie, even if it's in my living room."
Mr Davis was joined on the judging panel by:
- Suzie Branch, business development director with BMet
- Kim Churcher, managing director of Wales England Care
- Jessica Dallard, marketing executive with The Development Manager
- Richard Kendrick, curriculum manager with Performance Through People
- Mike Smith, apprentice and employer officer with BCTG
The awards are run in conjunction with the Ladder for Greater Birmingham campaign, an initiative launched in 2018 aimed at creating 1,000 new apprenticeships in Birmingham and Solihull. To find out more about the Ladder campaign and how employing apprentices can benefit your business, visit ladderforbirmingham.co.uk or call 03332 409 699
