A double win for Gloucestershire College at last night's Apprenticeship Awards

Gloucestershire College is thrilled to have won two awards at last night’s Gloucestershire Apprenticeship Awards 2020. Taking home both ‘Gloucestershire’s Apprenticeship Training Provider of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Contribution to Apprenticeships in Gloucestershire.’

It was a virtual night of celebrating the incredible successes of outstanding apprentices, trailblazing employers and cutting-edge training providers, hosted by BBC Points West’s, Steve Knibbs.

Steve Knibbs, Host of the Gloucestershire Apprenticeship Awards and reporter for BBC Points West, said: “The award for Outstanding Contribution to Apprenticeships in Gloucestershire is judged by a panel and presented to an individual or organisation who has helped to drive the county’s apprenticeship campaigns through inspiration, energy and imagination. The winner of the award was selected by all the judges as a stand-out winner for 2020 who deserved to be recognised for their ongoing commitment to apprenticeships right across the region.”

Gloucestershire College is delighted to be awarded recognition for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Apprenticeships’ as well as winning ‘Apprenticeship Training Provider of the Year’ again after previously winning the award in 2018. These awards recognise the College’s achievements and commitment to apprenticeships and apprentices in Gloucestershire.

Andy Bates, Vice Principal and Chief Financial Officer at Gloucestershire College said: “We are so proud to win these awards. Our apprentices at Gloucestershire College and the employers we work with are bucking the national trend. We have continued to place hundreds of apprentices this year with outstanding employers to build successful careers. Our award for Outstanding Contribution to Apprenticeships in Gloucestershire demonstrates our commitment to helping the next generation in Gloucestershire thrive, and it’s thanks to the resilience of the business community here in Gloucestershire that we are able to provide young people with a bright future.

“We have made unprecedented advances this year including securing £3 million for new facilities, launching our brand new cyber degree apprenticeship and developing a full suite of January 2021 starts for our apprenticeships to provide employers with much needed flexibility. I am exceptionally proud of all the staff at Gloucestershire College for delivering outstanding training for our apprentices and employers.”

Rich Poole, Apprenticeship Manager at Gloucestershire College, represented the apprenticeship and Business Hub team to accept the award during the virtual ceremony. Rich works as part of an extensive team at the college made up of trainers, assessors, training co-ordinators and business consultants to deliver one of the broadest apprenticeship offers in the county.

Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Training at Gloucestershire College, Julie Tegg, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be named the winner of Training Provider of the Year for yet another year. It is a testament to our incredible Business Hub and apprenticeship team who all work incredibly hard to deliver excellence for our apprentices and employers.

“We know that apprenticeships are the future and they are making an extraordinary impact right here in Gloucestershire. The young talent in this county is exceptional. We urge any employer to join over 1,000 local businesses who already work with us to take on apprentices.

“Our January apprenticeship starts for construction, accounting, IT, marketing, HR, hairdressing and more are just around the corner, so now is the perfect time to get in touch with our Business Hub team to get the ball rolling. We’re proud to deliver over 45 apprenticeship programmes to provide the right solutions for Gloucestershire businesses and lifelong opportunities for our apprentices themselves.”

Three of Gloucestershire College’s own joined the College in scooping up awards on the night.

• Outstanding Apprentice of the Year for Engineering, Manufacturing, Energy & Electrical: Jack Chapman, Renishaw – Apprentice with Gloucestershire College
• Outstanding Apprentice of the Year for Health, Wellbeing, Care & Education: Ellie Martin, Pittville School – Apprentice with Gloucestershire College
• Outstanding Apprentice of the Year for Construction: Robert Mustoe, E G Carter & Co Ltd – Former Level 3 & 4 BTEC Student at Gloucestershire College

Ellie Martin from Pittville School, winner of Outstanding Apprentice of the Year for Health, Wellbeing, Care & Education, said: “I’d like to say a massive thank you to Gloucestershire College and Pittville School for all their support. Well done and congratulations to the other finalists, Lauryn and Imogen. I’m really pleased to have won! I’ve now completed my apprenticeship and I’m now in a permanent position.”

The awards were dominated by Gloucestershire College with six apprentices, one student, and one key employer partner, Iress, all recognised as finalists for their outstanding achievements.

• Carl Eustace, HR Apprentice at Superdry Plc – Finalist in the Business, Administrative & Financial Services category
• Ella Russell, Business Administration Apprentice at Tewkesbury School – Finalist in the Business, Administrative & Financial Services category
• Jack Chapman, Engineering Apprentice at Renishaw – Finalist and Winner of the Engineering, Manufacturing, Energy & Electrical category
• Ellie Martin, Business Administration Apprentice at Pittville School – Finalist and Winner of the Health, Wellbeing, Care & Education category
• Imogen Collins, Dental Nursing Apprentice at myFACE Dentistry and Facial Aesthetics – Finalist in the Health, Wellbeing, Care & Education category
• Shannon Phillips, Customer Service apprentice at Truly Tailored Recruitment – Finalist in the Hospitality, Travel & Customer Service category
• Robert Mustoe, Apprentice at E G Carter & Co Ltd - Finalist and Winner of the Construction category
• Iress – Finalist in the Employer of the Year category

For more information about how to apply for an apprenticeship at Gloucestershire College please visit: https://www.gloscol.ac.uk/apprenticeships/apprenticeships/

To recruit an apprentice for your business, please visit: https://www.gloscol.ac.uk/campaigns/back-local-talent/ or contact our GC Business Hub team via: business.hub@gloscol.ac.uk or 01452 563400.