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Regional winners in the National Apprenticeship Awards 2018 are being announced at 9 regional ceremonies taking place over the next 3 weeks.

Mercedes Benz World in the South East yesterday (11 September), hosted the first event, with 18 winners and highly commended employers and apprentices representing industries including biopharmaceuticals, telecommunications, health and digital.

Apprentice category winners and highly commended:

• the British Army Award for Intermediate Apprentice of the Year was won by Natalie Annalls from Surrey Heath Borough Council; Rhys Hider from Summers Accident Repair Centre was highly commended
• the Rolls Royce Award for Advanced Apprentice of the Year was won by Muhammad Khan from BT; Tatiana Peters from MBDA was highly commended
• the Nuclear Decommissioning Site Licence Companies Award for Higher or Degree Apprentice of the Year was won by Alisha Fordham from Pfizer; Kirsten Berry from MBDA was highly commended
• the Royal Air Force Award for Apprenticeship Champion of the Year, was won by Darren Ellis from ENGIE; Scott Wildman from University of Kent was highly commended
• the Lloyds Banking Group Award for ‘Rising Star’ was won by Aimee Wilkinson from BAE Systems; whilst Dominic Cordara from Aon was highly commended

This award recognises apprentices who have made impressive progress in their career to date and who show the potential, through their apprenticeship, to make it to the very top of their chosen profession. The general public will be invited to vote on the overall winner for this category at national stages of the competition.

Employer category winners and highly commended:

• the BAE Systems Award for SME Employer of the Year was won by Invotra; Rose Builders were highly commended
• the Royal Navy Award for Large Employer of the Year was won by MBDA; John O’Conner (Grounds Maintenance) Ltd were highly commended
• the Centrica Macro Employer of the Year was won by: Caring Homes Group; Ford Motor Company were highly commended
• the PeoplePlus Award for Recruitment Excellence was also presented to Caring Homes Group; with Ford Motor Company also being highly commended in this category

Now in their 15th year, the National Apprenticeship Awards showcase the diverse and growing range of sectors engaged with apprenticeships, whilst celebrating outstanding apprentices, employers and individuals who go above and beyond to champion apprenticeships across England.

The awards were open to apprentices, individuals who promote apprenticeships and employers of all sizes from all sectors. The refreshed categories, including the Rising Star and Recruitment Excellence categories for 2018 gave additional opportunities for entrants to demonstrate the impact apprenticeships have made to individual’s lives and their workplaces.

Keith Smith, Director, Apprenticeships Group, ESFA said:

I am delighted to see so many regional winners being recognised and representing such a wide variety of sectors and industries.

We know apprenticeships enable businesses to grow their own talent, and also allow individuals make a start or progress their careers. The talent presented by winners and highly commended finalists really does showcase the impact of apprenticeships on individuals and employers alike.

There really were some outstanding applications and great apprenticeship stories, all highlighting the many benefits apprenticeships bring. I wish all winners the best of luck as we progress to the national stage of the competition and I want to personally thank everyone who took time to enter the awards this year.

You can find more information on the National Apprenticeship Awards 2018 on GOV.UK.

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