Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards Nominations Open for 2022

2022 will be the seventh annual Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards, in partnership with DL Accounts Ltd, supported by Pirate FM and Media Partners Cornwall Live.

Nominations are now open for all SIXTEEN CATEGORIES, with the College again on the hunt for the very best Apprentices and Apprenticeship programmes across Cornwall.

Nominations are being accepted on the College’s website at WWW.TRURO-PENWITH.AC.UK/CAA where information on all the categories, eligibility and the awards evening is also available.

The simple nomination process requires one 500-word explanation of why the Apprentice or Employer should win with up to 50 nominees due to be shortlisted after nominations close at 5pm on Monday 01 August.

Any Cornwall-based Apprentice or Employer is eligible for nomination, regardless of their College or training provider, provided they have been involved in Apprenticeship training since 21 June 2021.

Holly Day and Neil Caddy from Pirate FM presented the Awards in 2021 with 17-year-old Motor Vehicle Apprentice Lucas Allen from Matt Turner Mechanical Services scooping the coveted Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year Award.

Lucas earnt the admiration of judges having overcome a complex back operation in the 2019/20 academic year on top of supporting his mum who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Lucas quickly learnt to deal with customers, order parts, price jobs and deal with the booking system to cover for senior members of staff whose working hours were limited due to juggling childcare and home schooling during the pandemic.

Speaking on the night about his win, Lucas said: “I love my Apprenticeship, there’s a lot of responsibility for myself that I’m enjoying but also lots of support. I’d definitely recommend an Apprenticeship. You can earn and learn at the same time so it’s win-win.”

Described as a ‘role model’ to young children the Apprentice Achiever of the Year 2021 was awarded to 17-year-old Leah Richards from Byrne Black Belt Academy.

The Achiever of the Year category is awarded to an Apprentice who has overcome adversity or some form of personal challenge to complete their Apprenticeship and is subject to a public vote.

Leah struggled at school and College but her personality shone through at her martial arts classes at the Academy, leading to her being offered an Apprenticeship in Customer Service where she excelled, not only supporting new students but teaching her own classes and filming 75-hours of videos to keep students active during lockdowns.

2021 saw the addition of the Health, Care and Public Services Apprentice of the Year category in response to Truro and Penwith College launching a suite of Nursing Apprenticeships with Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust and care providers across Cornwall.

The Award was won by Alison Richardson for showing great motivation on her journey to becoming a Registered Nurse through the Apprenticeship route with RCHT, receiving nominations for multiple workplace awards due to her work ethic and compassion whilst caring for acutely unwell patients.

SME Employer of the Year was won by Corbey Construction which had shown continued commitment to the education, training and development of young people, training over 50 Apprentices with many learners going on to establish their own businesses and even employ their own Apprentices.

The 2022 Awards will be held in Truro College’s Fal building on 18 November in partnership with DL Accounts Ltd. Director Siobhan Lawrence commented: “DL Accounts Ltd know from our own experience the value that apprentices bring to a business. We feel honoured in helping to employ and train the future generation of learners and workers.

“We are delighted that we are back again to sponsor this year’s Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards to celebrate the exceptional achievement and contribution of both learners and employers involved in Apprenticeship training.”

Martin Tucker, Principal of Truro and Penwith College said: “The College is very pleased to open nominations for the 2022 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards.

“Apprenticeships are a key part of Cornwall’s Economic Strategy to deliver a high-quality workforce and career opportunities. 2022 is an exciting time for Apprenticeships at the College with recent multi-million-pound infrastructure investments aiding curriculum development and boosting future skills.

“For Apprenticeships to deliver economically they need to be of the highest quality. The Awards present a perfect opportunity to recognise that quality and we look forward to celebrating county-wide success on 18 November.”

Nominations for the Awards are being accepted online along with more information about the event and nomination process: WWW.TRURO-PENWITH.AC.UK/CAA. Anyone wishing to submit a nomination can also email nominations@truro-penwith.ac.uk for guidance.