Businesses celebrate after receiving top apprenticeship accolades

BUSINESSES and apprentices from across Yorkshire and the Humber are celebrating after winning accolades at the regional final of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2013.

The National Apprenticeship Awards, now in its tenth year, celebrates the achievements of the country’s most outstanding apprentices and apprenticeship employers. The regional awards ceremony was organised by the National Apprenticeship Service and held at Leeds College of Music.

Winning firms and organisations from across Yorkshire and the Humber are:
 
• Small Employer of the Year – Exceed in Bradford
 
• Nuclear Decommissioning SLC Award for Medium Employer of the Year – North York Moors National Park Authority
 
• BAE Systems Large Employer of the Year – Wakefield and District Housing
 
• Macro Employer of the Year – Nestlé UK Ltd in York
 
• Investors in People Newcomer Employer of the Year – Gordons  in Bradford
 
Apprentice winners in the region are:
 
• City & Guild Apprenticeship Champion of the Year – Helen Roe from Exceed in Bradford
 
• Advanced Apprentice of the Year – Joseph Turton from The Food and Environmental Research Agency in York
 
• Higher Apprentice of the Year – Natasha Pitts from Dale Power Solutions in Scarborough

• Intermediate Apprentice of the Year – Joshua Bates from Calderdale College in  Halifax
 
 
Sue Price, divisional area director for the National Apprenticeship Service in the North, said:  “Apprenticeships allow employers to grow their own talent, whilst enabling apprentices to earn while they learn and build a real career and a bright future. All our finalists are testament to this.”
 
The region’s winners now proceed through to the final which takes place in November.