Our judges deliberated more than 100 nominations across 12 different categories including for our overall Birmingham Apprentice of the Year.
The event takes place on July 4th at Edgbaston Stadium.
The new awards are part of the wider Ladder for Greater Birmingham campaign launched last year to create 1,000 new apprenticeships across Birmingham and Solihull.
The Ladder initiative is run by community development group The Vine Trust and training provider Performance Through People with funding from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP and Birmingham and Solihull Training Provider Network, with BirminghamLive as media partner.
Kevin Davis, chief executive of The Vine Trust, is also chairman of the Ladder campaign and led the judging panel.
He said: “We have been overwhelmed by both the volume and standard of entries to our first ever Ladder for Birmingham Apprenticeship Awards.
“The breadth of nominations shows that apprenticeships are extremely vibrant in the Greater Birmingham area and employers, training providers and educational institutions are embracing the potential they offer.
“I am a huge advocate for vocational training and qualifications and this has been borne out by the rise I have seen in employers embracing the apprenticeship route in recent years.
“I congratulate all of the finalists and look forward to meeting them at the awards in July.”
The full shortlist is:
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year – Health, Education and Care (Public or Private sector), sponsored by Skillsfirst
Ammar Iqbal, Holy Trinity Catholic School
Willem James, Hagley Catholic High school
Elle-Marie Reid, Bumble Bees Nursery
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year – Construction
Vanessa Adams, HS2
Keeley Smith, Interserve Group
Victoria Smith, Cushman and Wakefield
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year – Public and Charitable sector
Amanda Healy, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Rebecca Mortimer, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Kevin Naylor, West Midlands Ambulance Service
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year – Engineering and Manufacturing
Oliver Hatch, Co-Eng
William Hawkesford, GB Inspection Systems
Joshua Lambden, Hydraforce Hydraulics
Ritik Sharma, Hydraforce Hydraulics
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year – Financial and Business Services, sponsored by SuperMeal
Bethany Goodwin, Union Fasteners
Amanda de Moraes Gouvea, Netcom Training
Freya Lyndon, Adecco Group UK
Outstanding Apprentice of the Year – Digital and Creative Services
Harry Chafer, Pulsar UK
Jonathan Sillwood, Cookson Gold
Giovanni Tamayem, Claire’s Accessories
Small Employer of the Year (1-50), sponsored by Co-Eng
Birchfield Dental Practice
Helen’s Bakehouse and Tea Room
WS Cleaning Solutions
Medium Employer of the Year (51-249), sponsored by BCTG
Chase Terrace Technology College
Cushman and Wakefield
Hogarths Hotels
Voestalpine High Performance Metals UK
Large Employer of the Year (250+)
Adecco Group UK and Ireland
HydraForce Hydraulics
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
West Midlands Ambulance Service
Birmingham Apprenticeship Training Provider
Performance Through People Training
Protocol Consultancy
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Schools Engagement Award, sponsored by Birmingham and Solihull Training Provider Network
Aston University
MAKE UK
PwC
Many of the judging panel attributed their success to being former apprentices themselves.
Joining chairman Mr Davis was Steve Burnet from BCTG, Fraser Ingham from Skillsfirst, Anna Jeys from BirminghamLive, Isa Mutlib from Birmingham and Solihull Training Provider Network, Tina Patel from Supermeal and Thomas Wooldridge from Co-Eng.
