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  • South Devon College celebrates apprenticeships at awards ceremony

Home » News » Celebrating Success » South Devon College celebrates apprenticeships at awards ceremony

8th March 2019

As part of National Apprenticeships Week 2019, apprentices and employers from across South Devon gathered for South Devon College’s Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony 2019, delivered in partnership with Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Spirent, Our Heat and Pennon.

Over 200 people were in attendance to celebrate apprenticeships including friends, family, employers and College staff. The event, hosted at the Imperial Hotel in Torquay, was a great opportunity to showcase the excellent success of apprentices and the positive impact they have on local businesses and the community.

There were 39 apprentices shortlisted over 16 categories, having been nominated from over 1,500 apprentices on programme with the College. A total of 31 local employers were also nominated for categories, having been selected from over 1000 businesses engaged with an apprenticeship.

In attendance was the evening’s keynote speaker Greg Fitzgerald, CEO of Bovis Homes. He spoke about his remarkable career having started in the construction industry as an apprentice at South Devon College himself. He also shared his advice to current apprentices on the importance of decision making and communication.

Current Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair apprentice Fabio Ribeiro spoke about his personal experience on his apprenticeship, providing a valuable insight to the benefits it brings and how his apprenticeship will allow him to pursue his dream career. This was followed by an engaging presentation from local employer Joanne Hickey – Clinical Skills and Apprenticeship Manager at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust who spoke about the hard work and dedication of apprentices working in the healthcare sector.

The coveted prize of ‘Apprentice of the Year’ was awarded to James Yalland from Dartmouth. Based at South Devon Marine Academy on the River Dart, James has excelled at his apprenticeship and has been completing detailed and complex boatbuilding tasks for his employer Demon RIBs to a high standard. This has included the completion of a major restoration project of a Rigid Inflatable Boat for his employer, most of which work, James has both project led and undertaken himself. A complex restoration of this type of vessel, which included composite works, refitting of propulsion systems and fitting of new tubes requires not only a wide range of skills and knowledge but also project planning and time management.

James was also recognised as ‘Marine Apprentice of the Year’, he said, “It feels incredible to have won! Winning my category was so unexpected so to be named Apprentice of the Year is really overwhelming. I’m thrilled to have this achievement”.

Stephen Criddle OBE, Principal and CEO of South Devon College, said, “The Apprenticeship Awards Ceremony was another wonderful evening to celebrate the many brilliant apprentices who are really transforming the local economy.

“We were delighted earlier this week to have Anne Milton MP, Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills recognise the great business and apprentice work in Torbay, and this celebratory event has really rounded off a great apprenticeship week for Torbay.

“Everyone nominated to receive an award tonight should be incredibly proud of themselves and their achievements, having been shortlisted from over 1,500 other apprentices. I’m sure friends, family, employers and everyone associated from the College will join me in congratulating our winners, they are truly inspiring and I have no doubt that they will all go on to achieve great things.”

Special thanks to our panel of judges for tirelessly working their way through the 150 nominations received this year.

Thank you to:

Rebecca Davies

Senior Economic Development Officer at Torbay Development Agency

Ian Smith

Training and Development Manager at Sherwoods

Emily Tucker

Head of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement at South Devon College

 

Full List of Award Winners

Automotive and Motorcycle Apprentice of the Year

Runner Up

Tim Westwood

 

Winner

Luke Belsher

 

Business and Management

Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Jack Klar

Christian Skelton

 

Winner

Aaron Harding

 

Computing Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

James Abbott

Christopher Hounsell

 

Winner

Vince Chan

 

Construction Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Samuel Bridge

Cameron Ash

 

Winner

Greg Thomas

 

Digital Media Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Danni Webber

Lauren McKenzie

 

Winner

Naomi Davey

 

Engineering Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Daniel Martin

 

Winner

Libby Daymond

 

Hairdressing Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Shannon Tyler

 

Winner

Charlotte Hill

 

Health Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Tracey Wealthall

Hayley Burrows

 

Winner

Lucy Cadmore

 

Horticulture and Science

Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Amy Cairns

Thomas Mesher

 

Winner

Rebecca May

 

Hospitality and Catering Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Kieran Bourke

Emily Wakeham

 

Winner

Bethany Gerrish

 

Marine Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Jordan Fowler

Joshua Gooden

 

Winner

James Yalland

 

Plumbing and Electrical

Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Kieran Hill

Josh Boon

 

Winner

Dominic Crawley

 

Sport Apprentice of the Year

Runner up

Samuel Brown

 

Winner

Jay Osborn

 

Teaching, Learning and Early Years Apprentice of the Year

Winner

Holly Johns

 

The Higher Apprenticeship Award

Runner up

Tina Smee

Karl Wright

 

Winner

Guy Boosey

 

South Devon College Staff Apprenticeship Ambassador

Runner up

Antony Sutton

Carla Nardone

 

Winner

Steve Burge

Best Small Employer Ambassador

(49 or fewer employees)

Runner up

Priority Pixels

Southwest Plumbing

 

Winner

Cantina

 

Best Large Employer Ambassador

(50 or more employees)

Runner up

Centek

Sherwoods

 

Winner

Torbay Council

 

Apprentice of the Year

James Yalland

 

If you would like to grow local talent and to find out more about the range of apprenticeship standards on offer email [email protected] or call 08000 380 123

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