The Birmingham Apprenticeship Awards 2020 will celebrate achievement among individuals, their employers and education and training providers.
This year's event is run in partnership with Ladder for Greater Birmingham, a campaign which is working to create hundreds of new apprenticeships across the region.
The awards will celebrate achievement across 12 separate categories including crowning our overall Apprentice of the Year.
They have been postponed until November because of the coronavirus crisis but the deadline to enter has now been extended until July 3.
Here, we focus on the two categories celebrating large employers and training providers.
Scroll down for more details about the event or click through here to go straight to the nomination form
Large Employer of the Year, sponsored by The Development Manager
We are keen to celebrate those businesses, organisations and public sector bodies which go above and beyond to train and nurture their apprentices. We are looking for those who have designed and implemented an exciting and innovative apprenticeship programme, whether for one person or a team of apprentices.
Judges will reward those which can demonstrate commitment to the apprenticeship scheme and highlight its measurable benefits as well as outstanding leadership when it comes to mentoring staff through to the successful completion of an apprenticeship programme.
The Large Employer of the Year category will recognise those ogranisations with more than 250 members of staff.
Last year’s Large Employer of the Year was HydraForce Hydraulics which launched a four-year engineering advanced apprenticeship in 2004, giving candidates the opportunity to learn the practical and theory of their chosen discipline, either electrical or mechanical engineering.
The company encourages apprentices to further their education, with the option of progressing onto a HNC or a degree which can be fully funded by HydraForce with apprentices working on real-time production projects.
Training Provider of the Year, sponsored by The Ladder Foundation
Training providers are a vital key in the apprenticeship chain, ensuring staff are receiving all the necessary skills and training they need to succeed in the workplace and upon which employers are so reliant.
Judges will be looking for those which can demonstrate a commitment to the development of apprentices, relationships with employers and the delivery of new and innovative programmes which respond to regional skills priorities.
Last year’s winner was Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.
The trust has been involved in apprenticeships for more than 15 years and became a provider in 2017, teaching around 140 apprentices across a range of departments.
Its 'Live and Work' project, in partnership with St Basil's homeless charity, provides accommodation and jobs through the apprenticeship route and has supported young adults to change their lives through increased confidence, skills and employment with the trust.
The other award categories are:
- Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Construction and Property Industries)
- Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Engineering and Manufacturing)
- Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Health, Education and Care - Private or Public Sector), sponsored by Skillsfirst
- Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Professional Services)
- Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Tech, Digital and Creative Industries)
- Outstanding Apprentice of the Year (Travel, Tourism and Hospitality)
- Apprentice of the Year (chosen from the six category winners above)
- Small Employer of the Year (1-50 staff)
- Medium Employer of the Year (51-249 staff), sponsored by BCTG
- Education Engagement Award, sponsored by Birmingham & Solihull Training Provider Network
Training provider Performance Through People is our drinks sponsor for the evening and Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership is also an event supporter.
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
