Shortlist announced and public vote opens for the 2024 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards

Cornwall’s very best apprentices, employers and mentors have been announced with the publication of the 2024 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards shortlist.

The ever-popular public vote for the Achiever of the Year category returns, providing members of the public with the opportunity to vote for their winner of the category that recognises learners who have overcome a personal challenge or adversity.

The annual Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards is returning for the eighth time in 2024 and is set to be a historic occasion with Truro and Penwith College hosting the event at Eden Project for the very first time having outgrown its traditional venue at Truro College, in partnership with Hertzian, supported by Pirate FM, media partners Business Cornwall and sponsors from across the Cornish and national business communities.

48 nominees have been shortlisted across 18 categories for the awards evening, including two brand-new categories that will recognise Academic and Workplace Mentors who offer apprentices exceptional levels of support to achieve strong starts to their future careers.

The event will again be presented by Pirate FM’s Holly Day and Neil Caddy on Friday 09 February. The full shortlist is available at www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/caa.

The Achiever of the Year category awards an apprentice who has overcome personal challenge or adversity to successfully complete their Apprenticeship training and make valuable contributions to their employer.

The inspirational stories of the 2024 Achiever of the Year nominees; Maisie Simpson, George Smitheringale and Sarah Hyde-Wear can be found at; www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/cornwall-apprenticeship-awards/public-vote/ where members of the public can vote for their winner – voting closes on 04 December.

Maisie’s nominator highlighted her tenacity to develop her career, continuing her Marketing Assistant apprenticeship at Cornwall Group despite needing to find her own place to live at just 17 in 2022. George is diagnosed with Autism, ADHD and has an Education, Health and Care Plan and has absolutely flourished during his Bricklaying apprenticeship with Corbey Construction at Nansledan in Newquay. Sarah is a mature apprentice and faced apprehension about returning to education, while navigating a serious family illness, hip surgery and incident involving her brother during her Hospitality apprenticeship at Fistral Beach Hotel.

Described as ‘invaluable and an absolute inspiration to her team’ while ‘blazing a trail for professional women’, 36-year-old Lois Craze, Deputy Security Manager at FX Plus, Falmouth University, became the Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards’ first-ever triple award winner last year, scooping Management Apprentice of the Year, Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year and Achiever of the Year.

Lois not only recruited an effective team during a departmental restructure but implemented policies and procedures that improved services. Lois worked with the Police to benefit the safety of students at the University and launched the SafeZone app on campus which vastly improved response times to emergency and first aid calls.

Now in its eighth year, the annual Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards is well established as one of the leading training awards in the South West and has established new roots at the Eden Project as it enters its ‘next phase of growth’.

Nineteen local and national organisations have come out in force to support the 2024 Awards and the positive impact apprenticeships are having on learners, businesses and communities.

Martin Tucker, Principal at Truro and Penwith College, commented; “We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the eighth annual Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards. The College is incredibly proud of the Awards and the high regard in which it is held by employers and learners across the county.

“It’s been a pleasure to host the event at our Truro campus, but it’s clear it has outgrown our space. I’m pleased the event has found a fantastic new home at the Eden Project, a former Cornwall Apprenticeship Award winner and one of Cornwall’s top apprenticeship employers. The move marks the event entering its next stage of growth and we’re excited to see what the future brings.

“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 a very enjoyable evening celebrating all the talent that exists across the apprenticeship provision in the county on 09 February”.

Anyone seeking advice on apprenticeship training programmes, or for opportunities to get involved in the Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards should contact the Truro and Penwith College Apprenticeship team on 01872 305500 or email apprenticeships@truro-penwith.ac.uk.

For more information about the 2024 Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards visit www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/caa.