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The regional finalists for this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards have been announced.

Competing for this year’s coveted awards are 89 companies and 81 individuals who have beat off competition from almost 1,000 entries.

The 2016 awards, run by the National Apprenticeship Service and now in their 13th year, recognise employers and apprentices from across England that can demonstrate how apprenticeships have made a real difference to their organisation and careers, while recognising excellent businesses that grow their own talent with apprenticeships and apprentices who have made a significant contribution to their workplaces.

The very best employer category entries will also feature in the prestigious Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers List 2016. The award categories are:

Employer categories

• The Unilever Award for Small Employer of the Year
• Medium Employer of the Year
• The BAE Systems Award for Large Employer of the Year
• The E.ON Award for Macro Employer of the Year
• Newcomer SME of the Year
• The Rolls-Royce Award for Newcomer Large Employer of the Year

Apprentice categories

• Intermediate Apprentice of the Year
• The EAL Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year
• The Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for Higher Apprentice of the Year
• Apprenticeship Champion of the Year

Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Robert Halfon said yesterday:

Congratulations to every one of the National Apprenticeship regional finalists announced today. They are worthy ambassadors and a shining example of how becoming an apprentice is potentially life transforming -offering jobs and security for the future.

Apprenticeships are a ladder of opportunity for people of all backgrounds. They provide the skills and training our country needs and give employers the means to take their business from strength to strength.

Winners and highly commended entries from all regions across England will be recognised at one of 6 celebration events held across the country this autumn. After the regional ceremonies, winners will progress to the next stage of the competition, where their applications will be assessed by a national judging panel. National finalists will be announced in early December and will be invited to the national ceremony on 20 January 2017 at the Grosvenor House in London.

Sue Husband, director, National Apprenticeship Service said:

The National Apprenticeship Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the commitment of employers to apprenticeships. The regional finalists have shown their dedication to improving their own skills or those of their employees by pledging to support apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships have a real impact on the skills of individuals, business performance and on the local and wider economy. Our awards showcase how apprenticeships develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce - for employers of all sizes - while improving productivity. Through an apprenticeship people of all ages can ‘get in and go far’ to gain the skills and knowledge they need for a rewarding career.

I congratulate every finalist on their apprenticeship achievements so far and wish them the very best of luck as the competition moves forward.

National Apprenticeship Awards 2016 – Regional Apprentice and Apprenticeship Champion of the Year Finalists PDF, 61.3KB, 3 pages

National Apprenticeship Awards 2016 – Regional Employer of the Year Finalists PDF, 58.7KB, 4 pages

More information about the awards is available on the National Apprenticeship Awards 2016 page.