South Devon College celebrates nine years of excellence at its annual Apprenticeship Awards

Thursday 21st May was one of those rare Devon evenings where the weather does exactly what you hoped it would. The Bay was still catching the last of the afternoon sun as guests arrived at The Imperial Hotel in Torquay. It was, by some distance, the perfect backdrop for a celebration.

Inside, apprentices, employers, families and supporters filled the Torbay Suite for the ninth annual South Devon College Apprenticeship Awards: an evening of recognition for the people and organisations driving apprenticeships across the region.

Felix Dunscombe: Finding the Right Path, in His Own Time

Among those recognised on the night was Felix Dunscombe, a Trainee Assistant Practitioner on Dart Ward at Totnes Community Hospital who is studying at South Devon College while working along occupational therapists and physiotherapists. It is a role he says he would never have imagined for himself ten years ago.

After leaving sixth form, Felix followed the traditional route to university but soon realised it was not right for him. “At 18 or 19, I felt too young to be making big decisions,” he says. After trying two courses, he returned to Devon, worked and spent time travelling before coming home just before the COVID-19 pandemic. It was during this time that he began to rethink his future, inspired in part by his mum, a district nurse. “She spoke about the joy of helping people,” Felix says. “That really changed my perspective.”

He took his first step into healthcare at a local care home, swapping what he described as a “glorious job picking vegetables in the sun” for something entirely new. It did not take long for it to click.

“I quickly realised it was for me. Being paid to be kind to people and listen to their stories just felt right.”

He later moved to Torbay Hospital as a Healthcare Assistant on the Acute Stroke Ward, where he discovered a passion for therapy work.

“I saw how therapists had time to sit with patients and help them adjust to life-changing situations. That really stood out to me.”

That experience set him on a new path. Now combining work with an apprenticeship, Felix describes the experience as “a breath of fresh air” compared to traditional study. Learning on the job has given him both confidence and a sense of direction.

He also speaks warmly about the people around him. “People come from all backgrounds and bring different perspectives. It has been great to learn from each other and build connections across the trust.” What once felt like a large and complex organisation now feels, in his words, “smaller and much friendlier.”

Now approaching graduation, Felix reflects on how far he has come. “Before this, I wasn’t sure I could handle higher education. Now I know I can.”

Looking back on his journey so far, it is not the travelling or the variety of experience he has had that stand out most, but this moment.

“I have had a lot of amazing experiences in my life; I have walked the length of two countries, flown a plane in the Australian outback and been a teacher in Tanzania. But for me, completing this apprenticeship will be the thing that I am most proud of myself for.”

Ben Pountney, Head of Business Development, Talent and Skills at South Devon College, also took to the stage as host for the evening. Ben spoke with particular personal authority, having recently completed his own Leadership and Management apprenticeship.

“They’re not just about gaining a qualification,” he said. “They’re about learning on the job, building confidence, and developing skills you actually use every day. And that’s true whether you’re just starting out or a bit further along in your career.”

Ben also highlighted the College’s 100 in 100 Campaign, through which South Devon College placed 100 apprentices into roles in 100 days earlier this year. “The impact you have by creating just one opportunity can be huge,” he told employers in the room. “It genuinely changes lives.”

The headline sponsor address was delivered by Chris Thorpe, Principal NPI Engineer and Apprenticeship Coordinator at Gooch & Housego, who spoke directly to nominees about the significance of the path they had chosen:

“Apprenticeships offer something genuinely powerful: the chance to learn, to earn and to develop without taking on significant debt.” He reminded the room that the value flows both ways:

“Employers develop capable, confident individuals who feel genuine ownership and pride in what they do.”

Keynote speaker Jess Wiggins, leadership consultant at Impact International, challenged the room to consider what becomes possible when self-doubt is set aside. “Our biggest barriers are often self-doubt and the belief that we’re not ready,” she said. “Your story is still being written. Believe in yourself, take that step, and see where it leads.”

Apprentice of the Year: Lisa Clements

The headline Apprentice of the Year award went to Lisa Clements, a Level 3 Motor Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician at Bennetts MOT Centre in Newton Abbot. Her citation praised her determination and resilience, describing her as “an incredible, inspiring individual” whose employer considers her a key part of the business. Having completed her Level 2 Autocare qualification at an accelerated pace, Lisa is on track to become a fully qualified Level 3 Technician by 2027.

Now in its ninth year, the awards received over 150 nominations in 2026, reflecting the growing strength of South Devon College’s apprenticeship provision and the depth of its employer partnerships across the region. The College now supports over 500 local employers, with more than 1,200 apprentices in training.

Laurence Frewin, Principal of South Devon College, reflected on what the evening represented:

“Awards evenings like this are important, not because the trophies are what matters, but because they create a moment to pause. To recognise the quiet milestones.”

“Success rates at the College remain very strong,” he said, “but honestly, the numbers only tell part of the story. The rest of it is in the room tonight.” He continued, “the apprentice who almost gave up in week three and didn’t, the employer who gave someone a chance they wouldn’t have had otherwise, and the mentor who said the right thing at the right time.”

Award winners

Across seventeen categories, the full list of 2026 winners were:

We would like to send our thanks to our headline sponsor G&H, without whom this event would not be possible.

Thinking about an apprenticeship? Find out more about what’s on offer at South Devon College here: Apprenticeships – South Devon College