The eleventh annual Awards will once again raise the curtain on Cornwall’s National Apprenticeship Week celebrations with hundreds of nominations received across 16 employer, mentor and apprentice categories, highlighting the breadth of apprenticeship training and talent across Cornwall.
Almost 40 of Cornwall’s top apprentices, employers and mentors have now been shortlisted and will be contacted by the College with an invitation to attend the glittering Awards evening at the Eden Project on Friday 05 February 2027, where their achievements will be recognised and the winners announced. The full list of categories and shortlisted nominees is available at www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/caa.
The Awards is hosted by Truro and Penwith College on behalf of Cornwall’s apprenticeship training providers and employers, recognising outstanding achievement regardless of where apprentices receive their training.
Well-known radio personalities Neil and Saffy will present the Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards, guiding guests through the inspirational stories of this year’s shortlisted apprentices, employers and mentors.
The ever-popular public vote for Apprentice Achiever of the Year also returns, offering members of the public the opportunity to help choose the winner. The category recognises apprentices who have overcome significant personal challenges or adversity while continuing to achieve in their training and careers.
The inspirational stories of Martin Dart, Jay Williams and Joe Rice are available along with the opportunity to vote online at www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/public-vote, with voting closing at 3pm on Friday 20 November 2026.
Apprentice Machine Engineer Martin Dart decided to rebuild his career through an apprenticeship after facing life-saving surgery and redundancies. Joining Progress Engineering with little machining experience, Martin has become a skilled member of its machine shop and helped introduce Fusion software that enables the business to undertake more complex work and attract new customers.
Plasterer Apprentice Jay Williams has continued his apprenticeship despite repeated collapsed lungs, several operations and lengthy periods in hospital. Jay remained committed to learning throughout his treatment, even requesting theory work from his hospital bed and has worked hard to catch up on missed learning while earning praise for the improvement in the standard of his work.
Finance Assistant Apprentice Joe Rice was diagnosed with cancer midway through his apprenticeship but remained determined to continue his studies and successfully completed his first year of training. At St Austell Healthcare, Joe has also taken ownership of a new income stream, introducing processes for activity tracking, invoicing, payment reconciliation and debt recovery that have strengthened financial governance.
A brand-new Small Employer of the Year category has been introduced for 2027, giving Cornwall’s small and micro businesses a dedicated platform to celebrate apprenticeship success. L J Laundry, Spiral UK and Marzipan Hair have been shortlisted for the inaugural award.
The new category joins Medium and Large Employer of the Year, Mentor of the Year, nine sector-specific Apprentice of the Year awards, alongside the coveted Rising Star Apprentice of the Year, Apprentice Achiever of the Year and Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year 2027 that is expected to be hotly contested.
Holly Doran from the Eden Project scooped Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year in 2026 alongside Land-Based Apprentice of the Year after demonstrating unparalleled dedication to her craft. Holly lived in a self-renovated van to avoid a long commute from Plymouth, allowing her to submit work months in advance and lead a team creating an exhibit for the Cornwall Spring Flower Show that officials said met Chelsea Flower Show standards.
Cornwall’s Apprentice of the Year 2027 will be selected from apprentices receiving the highest judges’ scores across all apprentice sector categories, with finalists announced during the Awards evening.
Local and national businesses have again come out in force to support the event, with Headline Sponsor Hertzian joined by Award Partner Cornwall Manufacturers Group, Trophy Sponsor Imerys Minerals, Media Partner Business Cornwall, Reception and Entertainment Sponsor St Austell Brewery and Goodie Bag Sponsor Boosters, alongside a host of category sponsors.
Carl Riding, Principal and CEO at Truro and Penwith College, said: “We are thrilled to see a record number of training providers involved in nominations for the eleventh annual Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards. I thoroughly enjoyed attending the ten-year anniversary Awards last year and am looking forward to returning as Principal in 2027.
“The College is incredibly proud to host the Awards on behalf of Cornwall’s training providers and employers, and of the high regard in which the event is held across the county. We look forward to celebrating the exceptional apprentices, employers and mentors who make such a valuable contribution to Cornwall’s communities and economy on Friday 05 February.”
Anyone seeking advice on apprenticeship training programmes or 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 on the Cornwall Apprenticeship Awards visit www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/caa.
