Talented apprentices celebrated at The Sheffield College awards ceremony

Talented apprentices from The Sheffield College who are training with employers across the city and beyond have been celebrated at an annual showcase event.

The college’s Apprenticeship Celebration Awards champion young people and adults’ training achievements and outstanding contributions to their workplace.

The awards ceremony was organised by Apprenticeships+, which is home to the college's faculty responsible for apprenticeships and training.

Alongside apprentices and their families, college leaders and governors, apprenticeship staff and employers attended.

Guest speakers included Angela Foulkes CBE, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College, and Karen Vella, Education, Learning and Staff Development Director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Apprentice Lizzie Pilkington also spoke to guests and shared her inspirational education and training journey. Lizzie said: “Doing an apprenticeship is the best decision I have ever made. I enjoy working, earning and learning. I am so thankful that I have found my path.

“The Sheffield College has been fantastic and really supportive. I can’t wait to grow my career,” added Lizzie, who is completing a Level 3 business administration apprenticeship with South Yorkshire Housing Association.

The college’s apprenticeship and training arm Apprenticeships+ provides information and guidance to employers and learners interested in starting an apprenticeship.

Andrew Hartley, Deputy Chief Executive, The Sheffield College, said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for young people and adults to go further in a career, achieve qualifications and develop industry skills.

“For employers, apprenticeships offer a valuable talent pipeline that enables their business to grow. We know how valued our apprentices are by employers and it is an honour to celebrate their achievements at our annual awards ceremony.”

Held at the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield city centre on 14th May 2024, this year’s ceremony saw award winners recognised across 11 categories.

• Adult Achievement Award – Liam Kenny
• Construction, Engineering and Digital Apprentice of the Year – George Howard
• Employer of the Year – Bright Technologies Limited
• English, Maths and Digital Apprentice of the Year
• FREDIE+ Champion Award – Charlie Radford
• Go Further Award – Zoe Noon
• Health, Science, Care and Education Apprentice of the Year – Connor Slingsby
• Leadership, Business and Service Industries Apprentice of the Year – Mia Francis
• Sustainability Champion – Tyler Sherratt
• Outstanding Achievement Award – Samad Ahmed
• Young Apprentice of the Year – Olivia Cartlidge

Zoe Noon, a Level 3 Pharmacy Technician Apprentice at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust who won the Go Further Award, said: “I feel shocked and really honoured to win this award. It is lovely to be recognised and to know that all the hard work has not gone unnoticed.”

Liam Kenny, who won the Adult Achievement Award, said: “It’s just fantastic to win this, it was an absolute surprise. I didn’t think when I started working as an NHS porter I would get this far.

“I had been out of education for a long time and it was a little daunting going back but I am not one to give up!” added Liam, who is a Level 4 Healthcare Science Associate apprentice at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Charlie Radford is a Level 2 bricklaying apprentice at Evermill Brickwork Ltd in Rotherham who won the Fredie+ Champion Award. Charlie is helping to pave the way for a more inclusive and diverse industry which has traditionally been male dominated.

Charlie said: “I feel really surprised to win. I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career. My dad is a bricklayer so I thought I would give it a go. I really enjoy bricklaying and the routine of it.”

Apprenticeships enable young people and adults to earn as they learn, study a qualification, progress in a career and gain employment afterwards.

The Sheffield College is one of largest apprenticeships providers in the region and its provision is Ofsted graded ‘good’. During the last academic year 2022/23, around 1,890 number of apprentices were training with the college involving more than 890 employers.

The college has recently launched the ‘big apprenticeship pledge’ encouraging more employers to benefit from moulding new talent to their skills needs. Employers can pledge to either recruit and train one or more new apprentices or upskill existing staff via an apprenticeship during the next year.

Apprenticeships are offered in a range of professions and industries including automotive and motor vehicle, business administration, construction and building trades, childcare and education and engineering.

They are also available in floristry and horticulture, hair and beauty, health and social care, hospitality and catering, information technology and computing, leadership and management and science, dental and pharmacy.

Visit Apprenticeships+ to find out more. 

Pictured: Apprentices from The Sheffield College celebrate their award wins. Photo credit: Joe Horner.